Thrilling Palma Finale: Pacific Yankee Take Cape 31 Round 5 Glory

Drew Freides and Pacific Yankee - Winners of Round 5

Palma gave us exactly what we hoped for when we added it into the 2025 calendar — three days of sun, seabreeze, and thrilling one-design racing hosted by Club Náutico Arenal for the Cape 31 Race Circuit finale.

Day one saw dream conditions, with Stella Maris winning the opener under stand-in helm Marcus Brennecke, before Pacific Yankee stormed back to take races two and three. Kalantis showed consistency with two second places, while Jiraffe celebrated their first European podium finish.

Stella Maris helmed by Marcus Brennecke were second

Day two brought lighter seabreeze conditions and plenty of drama. Pacific Yankee claimed another win, while Stella Maris pushed hard with a second in race four. Kalantis recovered from jib trouble in race five to win race six, and Stig added their name to the score sheet with a win in race five.

The final day was all about the showdown. After a delayed start, race seven went to Pacific Yankee. With general recalls pushing the clock, it wasn’t clear if the fleet would make eight or even nine races before the time limit. Going into the final race, Stella Maris still had a mathematical shot — needing six boats between themselves and Pacific Yankee. In the end, Drew Freides and his Pacific Yankee crew sealed the title in style, just pipping Kalantis on the line.

Cape 31 start in Palma Bay

Drew and crew have been contenders all season, and their Palma victory secured the overall circuit title — an epic achievement for the American team.

Pacific Yankee leading the charge

Special mentions go to La Pericolosa, who pushed the podium battle right to the end, and to Jiraffe, who travelled down from the UK after competing in Round 6 just the weekend before — and went straight onto the podium in the MED with an impressive three third-place finishes on their scoreline.

In the Corinthian One Pro Division, Terrible Joy came out on top, showcasing the strength and depth of the amateur teams within the fleet.

Onshore, Club Náutico Arenal rolled out a warm welcome for the fleet. Teams enjoyed breakfast on the first day and a wonderful crew BBQ on the terrace by the pool. With beers and tapas served after racing each day, it was the perfect setting to relax and share stories after epic battles on the water.

With the European Championships just a few weeks away (16–18 October at RNCP), the Palma finale also offered a valuable chance for teams to test out the racetrack. With 25 teams expected on the start line, it’s set to be the biggest-ever Cape 31 Europeans, once again lighting up Palma Bay with some of the most exciting one-design racing on the water.

Full Results - https://cms.cape31class.com/racing/regatta/57#results

Full photo album - https://gallery.cape31class.com