The TP 52’s, along with the Maxis, will be in charge of raising the curtain on the seventh Hublot PalmaVela Regatta today (15 April). Tomorrow the ORC, RI, Traditional and Classic Yachts, and One Design boats, will join the competition. Disabled Sailing and Lateen Rigged Sail will sail on Saturday, when all the fleets will be on the water.

The TP52s will also have their acid test today, after undergoing the new rule’s modifications for the 2010 season. The current Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre champion, Matador of Alberto Roemmers and Guillermo Parada, is favourite and will try to repeat victory with sailors such as Santiago Lange or Bruno Zirilli onboard.

Swedish Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis is likely to be Matador’s main rival, with Paul Cayard calling tactics and New Zealander Cameron Appleton as strategist. British boat Cristabella (John Cook) will have kiwi John Cutler as tactician and Weapon of Choice of Tom Wilson – formerly of Matador – will make its debut today.

For more, visit www.palmavela.com