Day one of the third Ibiza JoySail, one of the most stylish and spectacular races in the Balearics

One of the Mediterranean’s most sensational regattas is underway. Svea and Topaz kicked off a race as stunning as it was thrilling. The two impressive boats set sail from Marina Ibiza for the racecourse where, like two svelte fencers, they measured up against each other.

Add to this the sheer beauty of Svea, the largest J Class ever built (2017), playing with the intrepid agility of Topaz, and we all knew that this was going to be a truly majestic battle out at sea. The rest of the superyachts taking part in the competition set off from STP Shipyard Palma bound for Marina Ibiza, but with no option to race under sail, as the wind barely reached three knots, so the boats were forced to motor almost the entire motor crossing over to Ibiza. 

Topaz, skippered by Peter Holmberg, and Svea, co-owned and skippered by Niklas Zennström, contested a leisurely but beautiful race, on what was day one of Ibiza JoySail. The rivals unfurled their enormous black sails, which owe their colour to the fact that they’re made chiefly from carbon fibre, one of the most resistant materials around. That display of metres and metres of fabric rippling in the wind against the ultramarine blue of the Ibizan sea gave the ultimate note of chicness and style to the day.

Navy and black

In fashion, navy and black were always traditionally a pairing to avoid. Throughout most of the twentieth century, the top designers (including Balenciaga, Pertegaz, Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel, ad Valentino) never once dared to put these two colours together in their collections. It was almost the same year in which Svea was built (2017) when Vogue Spain officially accepted this colour combo that was initially shocking yet stylish. Actress Meghan Markle and British designer Victoria Beckham were almost the first to sign up to the trend, which today has proved to be a tireless tandem that works perfectly together.