The round-the-island race to Formentera opens the Ibiza JoySail

Moat (Performance), WinWin (Cruising 1), Cervo (Cruising 2), Point Counter Point (Cruising 3) and Aurelius (World Cruising) take the early lead.

After the storm came calm to the waters of the Pitiusas, and the 2026 Ibiza JoySail got underway with the traditional round-the-island race to Formentera. The 21.43-nautical-mile course was sailed in light winds of around 13 knots, allowing the fleet to complete the race in under three hours.

The second day of racing, and the first on which competition was possible following the orange weather alert issued on Thursday that left the fleet berthed at Marina Ibiza, was spectacular. The contrasting light created a cinematic backdrop, with a rain shower in the distance while the fleet sailed under brilliant sunshine, producing a truly spectacular scene.

The fleet consists of 19 yachts ranging from 80 to 147 feet, divided into five groups: Performance, Cruising 1, Cruising 2, Cruising 3 and World Cruising. Each category also has a Corinthian classification.

The fastest yacht in the fleet, Moat, competing in the Performance class, once again demonstrated why she is considered a favourite. Notably, she is the yacht that has competed in and won the Ibiza JoySail more times than any other. Under the reverse-start system, Moat was the last yacht to cross the starting line, as boats start at two-minute intervals according to their rating. She was nevertheless first to cross the finish line in elapsed time and also topped the corrected-time results in Performance. She finished 1 minute and 54 seconds ahead of WinWin in second, while Gelliceaux took third, 2 minutes and 26 seconds behind the winner.

Chato Domecq, navigator aboard Moat, explained at Marina Ibiza: “It was a really beautiful day, with the wind building to a maximum of around 12 knots at the beginning and up to 18 knots on the southern leg of the island. It was great fun. We started last because we are the fastest boat, so we were heavily influenced by the position of the rest of the fleet throughout the race. On the final leg in particular, we were constantly having to anticipate our intentions to the other boats and work our way past them one by one. Fortunately, we were able to maintain a high line from the start, which helped us avoid a lot of dirty air.”

In Cruising 1, WinWin leads the standings after an exciting duel with Gelliceaux, which she beat by just 23 seconds. Inoui was also in contention, finishing just 55 seconds behind WinWin.

Cervo was the standout performer in Cruising 2, finishing 16 minutes and 23 seconds ahead of Bella, who took second place and was also the first Corinthian yacht in the division. Kiboko finished third.

“We have to congratulate the Race Committee for making it possible for us to race today. We managed to stay ahead of the rain showers and won our class. There is a fantastic atmosphere on board, everyone is excited, and it is simply incredible to be here,” said Josh Swat, a member of the Cervo crew.

In Cruising 3, Point Counter Point leads relatively comfortably after beating Nefertiti by 2 minutes and 2 seconds, with Rose in third. Ocho, whose crew is largely Spanish and includes Carles Rodríguez calling tactics, finished fourth.

In World Cruising, which features the fleet’s more classic yachts, Aurelius leads ahead of Nostromo and Atalante.

“We are very happy to be back at the Ibiza JoySail; it is our favourite regatta. It is very well organised, beautiful, and the conditions are perfect. Today was a perfect victory for us. The wind gods were a little on our side and we had a few favourable wind shifts. It was absolutely wonderful. It is fantastic to look back and see the whole fleet!” said Daniel Van Starrenburg, owner of Aurelius.

For Saturday, the weather forecast calls for greater stability as the various fronts move away from the Balearic coast. The expectation, therefore, is that the fleet will be able to contest another race across the waters of the Pitiusas.