Countdown to the 47th Armed Forces Trophy

The Real Club Náutico de Palma will host the 47th Armed Forces Trophy this coming Saturday, June 20th, with more than 50 boats expected to take part.

The Real Club Náutico de Palma will host the forty-seventh edition of the Armed Forces Trophy on June 20th, one of the most popular social regattas on the regional sailing calendar. This year’s event is being organized by the RCNP, the Navy’s Naval Regatta Committee, and the Balearic Sailing Federation.

The aim of this annual event is to strengthen ties between the Armed Forces and the civilian maritime community through a gathering in which a wide variety of vessels share the same racecourse, ranging from cruising yachts to traditional boats and llaüts rigged with lateen sails, as well as classic yachts and one-design dinghy classes such as the Dragon, 420, 29er, and OK Dinghy. So far, 53 entries have been registered, although the organizers expect additional participants to join before the weekend.

The Armed Forces Regatta was established nearly half a century ago as an initiative of Rear Admiral Marcial Sánchez Barcáiztegui, who passed away in Palma in 2012 and was a strong advocate of the close relationship between the military navy and civilian sailing.

The Rear Admiral often cited the historical events that took place in Dunkirk at the beginning of the Second World War as an example and source of inspiration. During the German Blitzkrieg, hundreds of thousands of British soldiers were trapped in the French coastal town. Winston Churchill called upon every available vessel to help evacuate the surrounded troops. A large fleet of small recreational boats took part in the rescue operation, and more than 300,000 soldiers were brought to safety.

Although competitive in nature, the Armed Forces Trophy is primarily a social event. Its founder always wanted the regatta to be open to all types of vessels, regardless of their length or displacement, and advocated for its organization to rotate among the different clubs in Palma Bay.

The warning signal for the first start is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. The prize-giving ceremony will take place from 8:00 p.m. onwards in the Magna Hall of the Real Club Náutico de Palma.