Vuelta a Tabarca is a 27-nautical-mile cruiser race circumnavigating Tabarca Island, off Spain’s Alicante coast. Instead of typical windward-leeward racing, the fleet sails a coastal course where wind shifts and the island’s topography are key factors throughout the day. Within the high-level cruiser circuit, this race is unique for its format, distinguishing it from the more common buoy courses found on the racing calendar.
The boats first round a mark positioned about a mile and a half from the start, then proceed to Tabarca to complete the island lap. This format can alter the standings as it counts as two distinct scoring events: one score at the mid-course mark and full points for the island circuit. The quickest boats can complete the race in under four hours; Pez de Abril from CN Villa de San Pedro once finished first in real time in 3 hours, 22 minutes, and 32 seconds. In ORC 1, Trabuco of RCN Torrevieja, skippered by Francisco Martínez Torregrosa, won the island lap in the top class.