‘Estrella Damm’ and ‘Nunoto Cafiver’, ORC Europe winners in the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE

The 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE concluded its intense competition program with a magnificent final day that proclaimed the 2025 ORC European Champions in the four participating divisions. The Spanish Estrella Damm in Sail Racing ORC A and Nunoto Cafiver in Uber ORC C claimed the continental crown in their respective categories, confirming Spain as the most successful among the 24 participating countries.

The grand final of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE began with a visit from HRH the Princess of Asturias, who arrived at the Real Club Náutico de Palma accompanying King Felipe. Queen Leonor took the opportunity to chat with the sailors participating in the Women's Cup and approached the Aifos , in which King Felipe would once again compete.    

The final day of competition featured two races for the four classes participating in the ORC European Championship and a fresh round of competition in the Balearia Women's Cup, which would decide the title in a three-race final series between the top five. Once again, the Bay of Palma provided good conditions for the sailing spectacle, with a day of thermal winds that allowed the program to be completed.

In addition, the Palacio de La Almudaina hosted the award ceremony of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The act, which took place at 9 p.m. on August 2nd, was presided by King Don Felipe.

The champions of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE were the American Vesper in the ABANCA ORC 0 class , the Estonian Technonicol in Ubico ORC B , and the Spanish Estrella Damm in Sail Racing ORC A , Nunoto Cafiver in Uber ORC C , and Balearia Team RCNP in the Balearia Women's Cup .

The outcome of ABANCA ORC 0 confirmed the predictions. The American TP52 Vesper, built and skippered by David Team, confirmed its excellent progress throughout the week with a resounding victory in the first race of the day, which mathematically made it the ORC 0 European Champion with one round left to run. The championship was completed with a final race won by Vudu , and the classification closed with a 14-point difference (the largest of this edition) between the champion Vesper and the Italian runner-up Blue . Third was the French Paprec of Stephane Neve. The Aifosof the Spanish Navy, skippered by King Felipe throughout the week, finished sixth overall and was the best Spanish team in the category. A good result for the veteran TP52 of the Spanish Navy, which turns 20 in 2025.       

The Sail Racing ORC A category contained the excitement until the last moment. Pedro Vaquer's Nadir went out to the water with a slender lead of one point over Nacho Montes' Estrella Damm and everything to decide. In the first of the two races of the day, an off-line thwarted the options of the Balearic ClubSwan 42 and opened the door to its rival, who took advantage of the opportunity by adding a second place that placed it at the head of a provisional compressed facing the last race of the championship. The DK46 skippered by Luis Martínez Doreste confirmed its victory by scoring a second place as its last partial joint with the Swan 45 Aceites Abril . Estrella Damm thus adds the title of European ORC A champion to a showcase that already boasts four class victories and three overall titles in the Copa del Rey MAPFRE.

In Ubico ORC B , the fight for the continental crown during the week was a duel between the Italian Guardamago and the Estonian Technonicol, who alternated at the top of the provisional standings and reached the end of the championship separated by one point. But the transalpine team did not have its day, signing a 15 and a 7 that relegated them to third place. The title went to Mati Sepp's Technonicol , who did enough to confirm their first European crown with a seven-point advantage over Pier Vettr Grimani's Italian Sideracordis . The highest-placed Spanish boat was Aurelio Guzmán's Escuela de Navegación Taboga , sixth. José Pineda's Alitán 4 , eighth overall, was proclaimed winner in the Corinthian category.

Uber C Class entered the water with just half a point separating the two teams at the top of the standings. This technical tie was broken after the first race of the day in favor of Antonio Porrer's Nunoto Cafiver , who went into the final match of the week with a 1.5-point lead over the Early Bird.by Hendrik Brandis. Confirmed out of reach of the rest of the fleet, the battle for the title would end with a final duel between both teams. The Germans would not be able to replicate the performance shown during the first half of the week, saying goodbye with the runner-up position by scoring a sixth in the final battle. Second in this final assault, the Nunoto Cafiver , a veteran Vrolijk 37 skippered by Mon Cañellas, confirmed its crown as European ORC C champion . Antonio José Romero's Nemox Isen , ninth overall, was the winner in the Corinthian category.   

After an intense week of crossings, the qualifying phase of the Balearia Women's Cup closed with 16 partials for each of the 15 participating teams. The withdrawal of one of the six boats due to a breakdown at the end of the previous day forced the competition format to be adjusted, reducing the number of teams that would compete for the title to five in an exciting three-round final series. The victory went to María Bover's Balearia Team RCNP , ahead of Bárbara Cornudella's CN El Balis and Aina Garau's    CN Arenal . This is the third title for the host club's team, which also won the women's class in 2022 and 2023.

As in every edition, the Copa del Rey MAPFRE awarded a special prize to the overall champion, the team with the best combined results across all participating classes. In this 43rd edition, the title went to the winner of Uber ORC C, Antonio Porres' Nunoto Cafiver .    

The 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE concluded with a full house of races in all classes. Once again, the Bay of Palma reaffirmed its reputation as one of the best regatta courses in the world, and made up for a first day in which only half of the program could be held, with another four impeccable days. The 2025 ORC European Championship attracted 117 boats from 24 nationalities, and the Balearia Women's Cup confirmed the event's commitment to women in sailing.  

The 44th Copa del Rey MAPFRE will be held from August 1st to 8th, 2026.