The light sailing spectacle takes over Palma's beach

The 61st edition of the Gran Día de la Vela – Bufete Frau is in full swing as it moves into its second phase, which began yesterday and will continue until next Sunday, August 31st, the day of the traditional trophy ceremony.

Today, Friday, August 29th, offered a very different picture from the opening day on Thursday. The sea delivered a spectacular scene, with waves breaking on Playa de Palma and a horizon painted white by a vast blanket of sails. The Optimist fleet managed to complete the three scheduled races, while the red group also recovered the postponed race from the previous day. With a total of five races now completed, the rankings are beginning to take shape, and sailors have applied their first discard.

In this class, Mallorcan sailor Jan Palou (RCNP) stands out. Still under 13, he leads the overall standings after winning three of the five races held.

The competition kicked off just after 12:00 p.m. under wind conditions that grew stronger as the day progressed: starting from the south at 10 knots, then shifting westward in the afternoon and stabilizing at an average of 15 knots. This evolution allowed the committees to set up the two planned race courses: one for the Optimists and another shared by the 420 and ILCA 4 classes.

In the latter, Jordi Castro, sports director of the Balearic Sailing Federation and a member of the race committee, shared his thoughts on the day: "Thanks to today’s conditions, we were able to complete the program and recover pending races. Although there was still some residual swell, it didn’t prevent the competition, and we had an intense yet calm day. This event is key for younger sailors; you can clearly see the difference in experience among the fleet, which is beneficial for newcomers to these classes. Events like this toughen them up, and many take advantage of it to learn, improve, and measure themselves while sailing alongside European and world champions."

The day was especially intense for the ILCA 4 and 420 fleets. The ILCA 4 sailors completed four races, making up for yesterday’s limited session, while the 420 fleet also raced four times today, adding to the two races from Thursday. This allowed them to start applying discards in the standings. Among the 70 sailors in this class, brothers Lucas and Nicolás Montoya (CNA) stand out as provisional leaders with 9 points after six races, including three first-place finishes.

Beyond the competition, the event aims to bring sailing closer to the community. With this goal in mind, sponsor Sa Calma Boats has invited the sailors’ families to embark for free this coming Sunday, August 31, aboard the Super Delfín Verde by Sa Calma Boats, which will serve as a spectator boat. The activity has limited spots, with a maximum of two family members per athlete.

Tomorrow, Saturday, August 30, promises maximum excitement. The CNA will deploy up to three racecourses with a team of over 70 people both at sea and on land. The schedule will include vela latina competitions (starting at 1:00 p.m.) and the ORC cruising regatta (1:30 p.m.), along with the event’s more social side. Also noteworthy is the 22nd Sa Milla CNA – Cala Blava Crossing, an open-water swimming event to be held tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. at Es Caló beach, with proceeds going to the ELA Balears association.

Full Results: https://www.grandiadelavela.com/es/default/races/race-resultsall