Day 4 of 41st Copa del Rey MAPFRE

August 3, 2023 - Palma, Mallorca - Strong offshore winds, gusting to 22 knots, proved a new, different challenge for teams racing on their first day of their Finals series 41^st Copa del Rey MAFPRE on the Bay of Palma.

The blustery breeze unexpectedly broke the mast of the highly fancied DK46 Estrella Damm before racing had even started but it placed a much higher premium on tight, controlled boat handling especially in manoeuvres and mark roundings.

In Majorica ORC Class 1 Javier Sanz and Christian Plump’s Palibex – Elena Nova hold a four points lead landing a 2.2 today. The French team on the bright green Ker 46 Daguet 3 Corum won the first race and took third in the second, revelling in the stronger breeze. Frederic Puzin and his crews have raced all the premier offshore races such as the Caribbean 600, the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Rolex Giraglia and the Rolex Middle Sea race and are back in Palma five years after he first raced here in a Mylius 50 Daguet 2, finishing 12^th.

The Marseille-based Frederic Puzin recalled 

“We had a great day racing, windy and sunny. It is not better for us to have more wind it was just more fun. Winning the race was good but we are always here just trying to do our best. There are a lot of good competitors. We are not optimised for ORC, more IRC but we try to do a bit of both. We were here five years ago and are back again because we enjoyed it.”

Majorica ORC 2’s leader Teatro del Soho CaixaBank is still, effectively, unbeaten after winning the Preliminary series and now taking victories in both races today in their ClubSwan 42. They lead by four points ahead of another ClubSwan 42 Seabery Dralion.

Piti Estébanez trimmer on the leaders, Teatro del Soho CaixaBank, explained: 

“Today has been a very complicated day because of the wind, which ranged between 16 and 22 knots. The boat was rolling a lot and so it was quite tense and stressful downwind sections, especially in the manoeuvres, which were complicated, the truth is that we were going well but carefully. Today was one of those days when you could win a little but you could very easily lose a lot".

And in Majorica ORC 3 the seemingly omnipotent Italia Yachts 11.98 Scugnizza C’an Eduardo also carries a scoreline of three firsts after a pair of bullets today. 

Italian owner Enzo di Blasio smiled,

“It was such a good day’s racing in strong winds but we got another good result. We have such a good crew. We won last year, we have been here four times and won four times. And this is the most beautiful regatta in the world to race at. Now we have our fingers crossed.”

(Position/Boat/Type/Skipper/Qualifying Series/Final Series Results/Point)

Majorica ORC 1
1. Palibex-Elena Nova, Club Swan 42, Christian Plump/Javier Sanz, 1+2+1=4
2. Daguet3-Corum, Ker 46,  Frederic Puzin, 4+1+3=8
3. Aifos, TP52, el Rey Don Felipe, 3+3+4=10
… up to 14 boats.

Majorica ORC 2
1. Teatro del Soho Caixabank, Club Swan 42, Daniel Cuevas, 1+1+1=3
2. Seabery Dralion, Club Swan 42, Basilio Marquinez, 2+2+3=7
3. Reve de Vie, G. Soleil 43 R, Angelo Galeati, 3+3+4=10
… up to 15 boats.

Majorica ORC 3
1. Scugnizza Ca N´Eduardo, Italia 11.98, Enzo de Blasio, 1+1+1=3
2. Laplaza Assessors, Sinergia 40 Mod., Carles Rodríguez, 2+2+3=7
3. Tanit IV - Medilevel, G. Soleil 37 B, Ignacio Campos, 3+5+8=16
… up to 21 boats.

Majorica ORC 4
1. Just The Job, J 97 E, Scott Beattie, 1+1+2=4
2. Lassal, Italia 9.98, Gonzalo Calvo, 3+2+1=6
3. Mestral Fast, Sun Fast 36 (IK), Jaume Morell, 4+3+3=10
… up to 7 boats.

Full results