© Carlos Hellín
The Real Club Náutico de Palma welcomes and officially presents the 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE to the media. This year’s competition will be the largest in the event’s history, with 140 boats from 24 countries.
The official presentation of the 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE was held in the club’s Sala Magna and attended by Javier Sanz, President of the RCNP, Óscar Celada, Regional Director of MAPFRE for the Balearic Islands, Joaquín González, President of the Balearic Islands’ Sailing Federation and Vice President of the Spanish Sailing Federation, Susana Moll, 3rd Deputy for the Mayor and Councillor for Education and Sport, Joan Noguera, President of the Foundation for Sport in the Balearic Islands, Carlos Plaza, representative for the Port Authority, and Joan Besalduch, Commodore of the RCNP, as well as many other representatives of collaborating companies, participants and media channels.
Javier Sanz officially opened the act by explaining,
“Ten years ago we decided to vouch for an open, multi-class regatta, which would host the many different ways of understanding our sport. The result today, is that for this edition of the Copa del Rey, we are presenting the largest regatta in its history: 10 categories, 140 boats and 24 countries. We have never seen such an enormous number of registrations, and as such, can safely say that the Copa del Rey is at its very best moment in its 36-year history. This year we have had to make some tough decisions. On the one hand, to enable us to host 140 boats, it has involved enormous logistics and a huge amount of organisational effort, and on the other, to leave out many excellent sailors, simply for having reached the limits of our port.”
The RCNP President concluded his intervention by thanking all the people and organisations involved in the regatta,
“Naturally, none of this would be possible without the support of our main sponsors MAPFRE, whose backing of sailing is already a vital part of Spanish sporting history, and our other collaborators, brands and institutions, such as the Town Hall of Palma, and the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority who are an essential part of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE crew. Neither would the Copa del Rey MAPFRE be possible without the fabulous team of personnel who are behind its organisation, and whose involvement goes way beyond merely fulfilling a role. Finally, our work would simply fall on empty ears if it weren’t for the great participation and coverage of the media.”
Óscar Celada, Regional Director of MAPFRE for the Balearic Islands emphasised,
“It is once again enormously satisfying to be the principal sponsor and support of the 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE. This week, the regatta sees Palma on the world map, as a true reference in international sailing. MAPFRE openly offers its backing of sport, particularly sailing, and we will therefore continue to provide our support in future editions of the regatta. The hard work and trust in every one of the members of the team, a longing to be ahead at every stage, and innovation to be the best, are just some of the attitudes that all the regatta’s participants, men and women, will be demonstrating this week, as they strive to give their very best. These are the same values shared by more than 260 people working at MAPFRE in the Balearic Islands.”
Susana Moll officially concluded the presentation. The 3rd Deputy to the Mayor, thanked the regatta organisation and MAPFRE for their hard work and efforts to make one of the most important events in Palma possible,
“It is now 36 years since this event has been encouraging a healthy and sports-related tourism, and communicated the name of our city with many countries worldwide. I would also like to thank the RCNP for their wonderful hospitality, enabling us to sail with children who are in risk of social exclusion, and who will be able to enjoy the racing on the water.”
Saturday, official start of the 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE
The official programme of the 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE begins tomorrow, Saturday 29th July with registration confirmations, and will continue all weekend. The first starting gun will be sounded by the Race Committee at 13.00h on Monday 31st July for the Maxi 72, BMW ORC 1, BMW ORC 2, BMW ORC 3, Mallorca Sotheby´s IRC, Club Swan 50, MRW Swan 45, Swan 42 and Herbalife J80 classes. As was the case last year, the GC32 flying catamarans, will start on Wednesday.
The regatta continues until Saturday 5th August and is backed by an intense onshore social agenda.
The 36th Copa del Rey MAPFRE is organised by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Real Federación Española de Vela (lit. Spanish Sailing Federation), and is sponsored by MAPFRE with the institutional collaboration of the Govern de les Illes Balears (Balearic Islands Regional Government), the Ayuntamiento de Palma (Palma Town Hall), the Autoritat Portuaria de Balears (Balearic Islands Port Authority) and the Federación Balear de Vela (Balearic Islands Sailing Federation).
