Winners crowned at 42nd Copa del Rey MAPFRE

3 August 2024 - Palma, Mallorca, Spain - The usually reliable Bay of Palma has not only delivered good racing conditions for each and every day of the 42nd Copa del Rey MAPFRE, but it saved the best until the last day when the new Finals format added spice to the deciding finale.

The winners of the top trophy for the 123-boat annual showcase regatta, which this year featured eight racing divisions, went to the Torrevieja-based Dufour 40 Fala Pouco, which, after a fourth in the first race, never finished lower than third to win the 17 boats Balearia ORC Class 3.

After finishing second four times and third twice skipper Jose Ballester was delighted to win the class and the top trophy. “We carry on from seven years sailing on the Maverta project. We started this new campaign in January or February. Then, in the Trofeo de la Reina, we had a good feeling, but we decided to make some changes, going from asymmetric kites to spinnakers and then, next, we won the Tabarca Trophy. We have been consistent: our worst position was a fourth. This fleet has been very competitive, very compact and a lot of fun. Usually, we have had four or five boats within 10-15 seconds in real-time. This is by far my best result in the Copa del Rey.”

Double gold medallist Luis Doreste guided the TP52 Teatro del Soho Altavista to victory in the premier ORC division Watches of Switzerland ORC 0, edging out Aifos, the Spanish Navy’s TP52, which is steered by the King of Spain. The winners never scored lower than third and won by 5,5 points ahead of Aifos which finished second again this year. Aifos tactician Alberto Barovier smiled, “Soho were quite aggressive on the start line of the first race and we are still a little bit green for this kind of match racing procedure, we came back strong with good tactics upwind and downwind and King Felipe was steering very well', and we finished first. In the second race, it was a little more complicated. The wind dropped a little more, the other class started later, and it was really mixed up and hard to keep a clean lane of breeze; there was such a big mix of boats. But we are happy with second, the King and the whole crew did such a good job. But, once again we are second, hopefully next year we might have the luxury of a new boat!"

In the Odilo ORC 1 class, Elena Nova, of Christian Plump with Chuny Bermúdez at the helm, successfully defended their title. The 2023 champion, who started with an over-the-line penalty in the first race, climbed the ranks throughout the week to claim the lead by the end of the fourth day. On the final day, they went out with the smallest margin in the fleet, less than a point. Two wins in the last two races left their rivals with no chance. Second place went to the Estonian Katariina II of Aivar Tuulberg, and third to HM Hospitales Hydra helmed by Fernando León.

In the Altavista ORC 2 class, Katara, helmed by Argentine Julián Somodi, clinched the title by winning the last two races of the championship. They finished 13 points ahead of the Italian Guardamago SRL by Masimo Piparo and 15 points ahead of L’Immens – Laplaza Assessors of Carles Rodríguez, who was the ORC 3 champion in 2018 and 2019.

In the Balearia ORC 3 class, the title went to the Valencian Fala Pouco helmed by José Ballester, with a 9.5-point advantage over the Andalusian Varicentro D6 helmed by Manuel Sanz and 11 points ahead of the Balearic Wanderlust of Josep Pons.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗥𝗖 𝟬

1. Teatro Soho Altavista Global Group | Javier Banderas y Toni Guiu (TP52) - 15.5
2. Aifos | Spanish Navy (TP52) - 21
3. Daguet 3 | Frederic Puzin (KER46) - 29.75

𝗢𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗼 𝗢𝗥𝗖 𝟭 

1. Elena Nova | Christian Plump (Swan 42 CS) - 26
2. Katariina II | Aivar Tuulberg (Swan 42 Club) - 35
3. HM Hospitales Hydra | Oscar Chaves & Fernando Leon (DK 46) - 35

𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮 𝗢𝗥𝗖 𝟮

1. Katara | Julian Somodi (PG390) - 23.5
   
2. Guardamago | Massimo Romero Piparo (Italia 11.98) - 36.25
3. L´immens Laplaza Assessors | Carles Rodríguez (Sinergia 40 mod) - 38.25

𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗢𝗥𝗖 𝟯

1. Fala Pouco | Andres Manresa (Dufour 40 DK) - 20
2. Varicentro D6 | Club Deportivo Canaleta & Manuel Sanz (Salona 37) - 29.5
3. Wanderlust | Josep Pons Faner (Italia 9.98) - 31

Full results