A fistful of firsts for three dominant teams at 41st Copa del Rey MAPFRE

After an excellent second day of racing at the 41st Copa del Rey MAPFRE three teams remain unbeaten. José María Meseguer’s Pez de Abril crew lead the ClubSwan 42 class, Teatro Soho Caixabank is dominating Majorica ORC Class 2 and in the Herbalife J/70 fleet which started with three races today, the RCNP’s Patakin skippered by Luis Albert Solana won all three races.

Palma, 1st August 2023

The leaders of the one design ClubSwan 42 class, which has Portuguese Olympic medallist Hugo Rocha calling tactics, are unbeaten after four races.

Meseguer’s Pez de Abril (April Fool in Spanish) have already amassed a glorious lead of eight points and are maybe starting to look a little untouchable, the regatta scoring format means such leading margins are still cut back to a single point after tomorrow’s racing as the event moves from the Preliminary Series phase to the Final Series.

“We had two different races, the first with a bit less wind than we expected. The second one was windier 14-15kts, but both races were very enjoyable.” Enthused the Murcia based owner-driver Meseguer, “We work hard and have done a few training races this summer, so we are going well.
ClubSwan one design racing is great as the rule requires the owner to drive whilst others maybe are not so good and want to profit from the numbers advantage that a rating can give. I would prefer the others to join in one design, it is much more fun than ORC. I think this is much more fun, you fight on even terms and there is nowhere to hide.”

Leonardo Ferragamo’s World Champions Cuordileone – which is being steered by New Zealand helm Howard Spencer – moved to the top of the nine strong ClubSwan 50 class on the strength of a second and first today, lying one point ahead of Graeme Peterson’s Moonlight. Perhaps more than any other class this white hot one design fleet becomes all the more exciting in the Finals phase and right now it is all about being consistent in the top half of the fleet.

Cuordileone’s Italian trimmer Federico Michetti reported, “We had good tactics upwind and downwind, we did not make mistakes and really just stayed with the flow, we took the chances when we could. And Palma is delivering very nice conditions this year so far, nice winds, it is really not too hot, it is a joy to sail and be on the water. The second race one half of the fleet were in one corner, the other half in the other. We were on the left but it was still quite an even, open course. It was a spectacular day. The boats are so close and the standard is so high it is great racing. And with this format after tomorrow it all starts again. I think you like the format if it works for you and hate it if it doesn’t, so let’s see!”

The defending Majorica ORC 1 and Copa del Rey Champions Palibex – Elena Nova, Christian Plump and Javier Sanz’s ClubSwan 42, returned a solid, bankable day with a second and a third to consolidate their lead but the Argentinian Swan 45 From Now On of Fernando Chain – who were second in class year behind the German TP52 Red Bandit – are increasing the pressure with a 1,2 today. The second race was won by the TP52 Aifos steered by HRH King Felipe which moves up to third overall.

Argentina’s Mariano ‘Cole’ Parada, tactician on From Now One recalled, “Yesterday we had a good day but today with a little less wind then maybe the rating works a little better, we felt really good around the course both days. The rating is better for is in the lighter breeze.”

Javier Banderas’ Teatro Soho Caixabank also have an untouchable air about them after winning five from five in Majorica ORC 2, Javier Banderas from the leading boat cautions, “We are very happy with the results so far but not all the fish is sold, not by a long shot. It’s true that the conditions have been perfect for racing and we’ve done very well, five wins from five races sailed, but, as they say in other sports, the championship is won game by game. The important thing is to be up there on top on Saturday.”

Majorica ORC Class 4 sees a big lead for the defending champions, the Italia Yachts 11.98 Scugnizza which added their third win from four starts and then took second whilst the Puerto Andratx based, GBR flagged J97E Just the Job still leads Majorica ORC Class 4.

The Mallorca Sotheby’s Women’s Cup started with three good races for the J/80s. Alicante’s Nuria Sánchez and crew on Dorsia Covirán won two and then placed second to hold the early series lead, whilst the local J/70 crew of Patakin skippered by Luis Albert Solana won all three races.

The 41st Copa del Rey MAPFRE is organised by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Real Federación Española de Vela, with the sponsorship of MAPFRE and the institutional collaboration of the Govern de les Illes Balears, the Ayuntamiento de Palma, the Autoritat Portuaria de Balears and the Federación Balear de Vela.

Results. Day 2
(Position/Boat/Skipper/Results/Points)

Majorica ORC 1

1. Palibex-Elena Nova, Christian Plump/Javier Sanz, 1+2+2+2+3=10
2. From Now On, Ezequiel Despontin, 3,5+1+4+1+2=11,5
3. Aifos, el Rey Don Felipe, 3,5+3+3+5+1=15,5
   … up to 14 clasificados.

Majorica ORC 2

1. Teatro del Soho Caixabank, Daniel Cuevas, 1+1+1+1+1=5
2. Daring Sisters, Milan Hajek, 7+8+2+5+3=25
3. Seabery Dralion, Basilio Marquinez, 4+4+11+2+4=25
   … up to 15 clasificados.

Majorica ORC 3

1. Scugnizza, Enzo de Blasio, 1+1+2+1+2=7
2. Laplaza Assessors, Carles Rodríguez, 3+2+1+5+6=17
3. Tanit IV – Medilevel, Ignacio Campos, 6+8+5+3+1=23
   … up to 21 clasificados.

Majorica ORC 4

1. Just The Job, Scott Beattie, 1+1+3+3+1=9
2. Ybarra – Befesa, Arturo Montes, 2+2+1+1,5+4=10,5
3. Lassal, Gonzalo Calvo, 3+4+2+1,5+2=12,5
   … up to 7 clasificados.

ClubSwan 50

1. Cuordileone, Howard Spencer, 8+3+2+1=14
2. Moonlight, Graeme Peterson, 2+1+7+5=15
3. Niramo, Sonke Meier Sawatzki, 3+7+3+2=15
   … up to 9 clasificados.

ClubSwan 42

1. Pez de Abril, José María Meseguer, 1+1+1+1=4
2. Porron X, Luis Senís, 3+3+2+4=12
3. Selene-Alifax, Massimo de Campo, 2+2+6+6=16
   … up to 8 clasificados.

Mallorca Sotheby´s Women´s Cup

1. Dorsia Covirán, Nuria Sánchez, 1+1+2=4
2. Citanias, Patricia Suárez, 3+2+1=6
3. Team RCNP Balearia, María Bover, 4+4+3=11
   … up to 10 clasificados.

Herbalife J70

1. Patakin, Luis Albert Solana, 1+1+1=3
2. Usana – Les Roches, Luis Bugallo, 2+2+2=6
3. Let it Be, Sergio Pendola, 3+3+3=9
   … up to 9 clasificados.

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