40th Rei en Jaume Regatta brings together 19 sailboats for a 110-mile passage

A total of 19 sailboats took part in this year’s edition of the regatta, making it the best-attended event of the past ten years. The race connects the towns of Salou and Santa Ponça in a 103-nautical-mile passage.

Tarhunz, owned and skippered by Diego de las Heras and representing CN Vilanova; Histolab, owned by José Juan Torres and flying the burgee of the Real Club Náutico de Palma; and Diabolic, owned by Glen de Brouwer, were the winners of the ORC 1, ORC 2 and ORC Reduced classes respectively at the 40th anniversary edition of the Rei en Jaume Regatta. The 110-nautical-mile offshore race commemorates the conquest of Mallorca in 1229 and concluded yesterday with the prize-giving ceremony at Port Adriano.

At the start, held last Friday at 10 a.m., the fleet encountered light and variable winds, together with the residual swell from the previous day. However, the wind dropped towards the end of the afternoon, creating areas of calm that slowed the 19 participating sailboats, particularly those at the front of the fleet.

Diego de las Heras explained: “Our start was not good, but little by little, with the support of a crew that was always attentive to the wind shifts and focused on fine sail trim, we gradually moved up the rankings. The weather forecast was accurate, as was our race plan.” For the owner, one of the more challenging moments was choosing the right sail for each situation, although “we later saw that the decision had been the right one, as we had a strong finish that ultimately brought us victory.”

José Juan Torres, meanwhile, described the race as “great fun” and said that, in his view, it offers a manageable distance and a friendly, family atmosphere. “It was our first time taking part and, without a doubt, we will be back.”

Glen de Brouwer pointed out that racing with just two crew members requires maximum concentration and a strong reliance on strategy, as “there isn’t a minute’s rest.”

The first boat to cross the finish line was Gymir, owned by Manel Codina, which completed the course in 21 hours, 27 minutes and 15 seconds.

In the ORC Reduced class, Salao Tu, owned by Manolo López (CN Salou), finished second, while Mar y Luz, owned by Xavi Toledo (CN Vilanova), took third place.

In ORC 1, Bonadventura, owned by Luis M. Fargas (CN Cambrils), and Modul, owned by Felix Comas (CV Santa Ponça), finished second and third respectively. In ORC 2, Empenta, owned by Fco. Javier Rodríguez (Reial Club Nàutic de Tarragona), took second place, while third place remained vacant.

During the trophy presentation dinner, held last night at Port Adriano, Carlos Veny, manager of the Calvià Esports Institute (ICE), congratulated the winners and thanked all the crews for taking part. “We hope to see you all next year in this regatta that brings together history, sport and culture,” he said.

Luis Nigorra, president of Club Náutico Santa Ponça, highlighted the collaboration of the local councils in staging this offshore regatta and said that “reaching 40 editions has been possible thanks to the enthusiasm of the crews and the sailing clubs of Salou and Santa Ponça.”

The race director, Manolo Nadal de Uhler, noted that the Rei en Jaume Regatta has become one of Mallorca’s longest-running sailing events and has developed a loyal following, with many boats and crews returning year after year.

In this regard, Nadal highlighted Majoqui, the boat with the most participations in the Rei en Jaume Regatta, as well as the work of Miguel Nigorra and Godofredo Fernández, former presidents of the Santa Ponça and Salou sailing clubs respectively, in reviving the event after it was discontinued for several years.

During the ceremony, 11 panels documenting the 40-year history of the Rei en Jaume Regatta were displayed, featuring photographs, posters, news articles published in the media and other historical documents.

The Rei en Jaume Regatta has been organised since 1986 by Club Náutico Santa Ponça and CN Salou, with the support of Port Adriano, Port Tarraco, Club Náutico de Cambrils and the town councils of Calvià and Salou. The competition forms part of the Ausmar Offshore Regatta Circuit and counts towards the Catalan Championship in the Solo and Two-Handed (A2) categories.