The final battle for the 39th Copa del Rey MAPFRE was held in spectacular conditions that once again endorsed the reputation of the Bay of Palma for sailing competition. Eight of the nine class titles were decided in the final leg of the championship, with Javier Banderas’ Teatro Soho Caixabank taking the V Centenario Trophy as overall winner. The Aifos 500 skippered by King Felipe VI finished fourth in the hotly contested BMW ORC 1 class.

The 39th Copa del Rey MAPFRE came to an end with an exciting day both on land and on the water. At the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the sailor Joan Cardona received in the morning an emotional tribute for his bronze medal in the Finn class at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, with the presence of the Royal Family and a large representation of members of the club’s school. On the race course, the title was settled on a single card with a regatta sailed in perfect conditions.

The champions of the 39 Copa del Rey MAPFRE are the BritishAlegreen IRC 1 class, the GermanEarlybirden ClubSwan 50, the Romanian Natalia in ClubSwan 42, the Italian G Spot in ClubSwan 36 and the Spanish Hydra in BMW ORC 1, Teatro Soho Caixabank in BMW ORC 2, El Carmen Elite Sails in BMW ORC 3, Dorsia Coviran Sailing Team in Mallorca Sotheby’s Women’s Cup and Let it Be in Herbalife Nutrition J70.

Exciting final
The 39 Copa del Rey MAPFRE was decided in the last leg of the last race of the last day. It couldn’t have been more exciting. Eight of the nine participating classes reached the final with mathematical options for several teams, and took to the water knowing that everything would be decided today. The bay of Palma had reserved for Sunday spectacular wind conditions that were going to test the ability of all the crews and the ability of the candidates for the title to manage their nerves. The Embat blew at around 14 knots to bid farewell to an excellent week of racing. Once the program was completed, two titles were decided by one point, one team defended its crown and another won its second consecutive Cup competing in different classes.

Andres’ Alegre was the only one to take to the water as virtual champion. The British TP52 dominated the week in IRC 1 class and completed its participation scoring its ninth partial victory out of a possible 11. The 2017 champion was ten points ahead of the tie between Vadim Yakimenko’s Freccia Rossa (second) and Stephane Neve’s Paprec Recyclage (third).

In ClubSwan 50 class, fifth title for Hendrik Brandis’ Earlybird, Swan 45 class champion in 2011 and 2016, and ClubSwan 50 in 2017 and 2018. The German boat was able to manage its lead in the last leg of the championship, and took advantage of the last leg of the week to take the overall win by the narrowest of margins over the reigning world champion in the class, Marcus Brenneke’s Hatari. Third finished the Bronenosec 50 of the young Russian skipper Polina Lyubomiroba.

In ClubSwan 42, George and Natalia Brailoiu’s Natalia defended their 2019 title. The Romanian boat achieved the prize for a magnificent week of racing in which their biggest rivals were the Spanish Nadir of Pedro Vaquer (second, six points behind) and Pez de Abril of José María Meseguer (third, nine points behind).

In the debut of the ClubSwan 36 as a class, G Spot won the final, confirming the dominance it had shown throughout the week. Giangiacomo Serena’s boat won the last race, leaving Palma with five partial victories out of a possible 11 and a third worst result. He was eight points ahead of Lorenzo Mondo’s Farstar (second) and 13 points ahead of Riccardo Ferragamo’s Thirtysix (third).

The BMW ORC 1 title was decided by the narrowest of margins. Oscar Chavez’s Hydra, skippered by Olympic champion Fernando Leon, was able to make the most of its reliability in the second half of the week. A sixth place in the final race was enough for the new champion to beat Fernando Chain’s From Now on by one point. This is the third consecutive title for the powerful DK46, which won the last two editions under the colors of Estrella Damm. Rafael Carbonell’s Rats on Fire, five-time champion in the waters of Palma, finished third. The Aifos 500, skippered once again by King Felipe VI, finished in a creditable fourth position in one of the most competitive classes of this edition.

In BMW ORC 2, the Swan 42 Teatro Soho Caixabank won the title at the same pace it showed during the rest of the week, and closes its participation with nine partial victories out of a possible 11. This is the fifth title for the tandem formed by owner Javier Banderas and skipper Daniel Cuevas, second in 2019 with this same boat. They are accompanied on the podium by the M8 of the Frances brothers and the Defcom Seguridad of Pedro Gil.

In BMW ORC 3, José Coello’s Sinergia 40 El Carmen Elite Sails achieved the milestone of chaining two consecutive titles in different classes. The 2019 BMW ORC champion.

Source: https://www.regatacopadelrey.com/

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