Eighteen of the world’s finest sailing yachts have arrived in Palma, Majorca for the 14th running of the Superyacht Cup and with the weather set fair and new sponsor Horus (bespoke watch makers) in place, crews are looking forward to a high quality regatta.

The fleet, which includes Hyperion (47.4m), Gliss (32m), Open Season (28.6m), Windrose of Amsterdam (46m), Sojana (35m) and the slippery looking Tripp designed Black Pearl (25m), lies stern-to in a new location, the Muelle Viego, virtually in the shadow of Palma’s magnificent cathedral.

For the statistically minded the total length of the entrants is some 2,145ft or more than half a kilometre. Mari Cha 111 has travelled the furthest to get to Palma, 13,000km from Tahiti, the oldest design is Sunshine (1900) and the newest Black Pearl, a Bill Tripp sloop launched last year.

Two years ago, 52 yachts took part in this event, the entry swelled by the by the America’s Cup in Valencia. To accommodate the numbers the regatta was based in Palma’s dockland, a concrete wilderness which wasn’t even within sniffing distance of the city’s wonderful ancient centre with its restaurants and bars. So the relocation, contracted for the next three years, is a welcome change. The site is compact, comfortable and smart and you can get to your hotel or apartment without having to hitchhike.

Unlike the America’s Cup, superyachting events like this appear not to have withered on the vine, despite the economic downturn.

This year the Horus Superyacht Cup Palma has adopted the American Bucket rating system and as such course setters can be more inventive giving the fleet more varied days out in the Bay of Palma. The format will still use the pursuit system in the interests of safety.

Govern de les Isles de Balears, the local government authority, have recognised that superyacht events like this are valuable to the local economy and have got behind the SYC. Interestingly they are also driving an initiative with the Antiguan government to foster co-operation between the two islands to the mutual benefit of the yachting industry. Majorca and Antigua see a natural twinning opportunity with regattas and associated businesses and are lobbying their governments to set up formal links.

Racing in the Horus Superyacht Cup starts tomorrow and Yachting World will be there, reporting from onboard the 40m Ed Dubois designed Tenaz on day one.