History sails again: centenary sailboats in the Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época

The Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época is getting ready to host this August once again a new edition that will reunite some of the ships with most history that sail in our waters.

In two months of the competition, a total of 30 sailboats confirmed its presence in the regatta, four of them being spectacular “big boats”. “Mariska” (1908), “Tuiga” (1909), “Cariad” (1896) and “The Lady Anne” (1912) will be the unities that will take part in the category of big lengths in this edition  of the Menorcan regatta of classic boats. This is about four spectacular sailboats with over a century of life and that have sailed on other occasions in Mahón’s waters.

“The Lady Anne”, from charterer Jaime Botín, will defend the title that was achieved last season in the “Big Boats” category. In addition to the four boats, others like “Rowdy” (1916), the“Gipsy” (1927), “Manitou” (1937) or the “Eilidh” (1931) have confirmed their presence also in Mahón this summer.

The regatta, organized by Club Marítimo de Mahón with the sponsorship of Repsol and the institutional collaboration of Menorca’s Insular Council and Mahón’s City Council, will be, one more year, the encounter of reference of classic and vintage sailing in Spain and one of the unforgettable dates inside The Mediterranean Champions Cup circuit.

Consolidated as one of the most prestigious regattas of the Mediterranean, the Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época will celebrate in August its 21st edition with a first level participation and a firm bid for keeping alive the vintage sailing tradition.

The competition will take place between August 26th and 30th and will have a journey of measurements and four of competition. The amplification of the program from 3 to 4 tests was applied for the first time two years ago due to the petition of the charterers, who expressed that their stay at Menorca felt short.

The Copa del Rey forms part, one more season, of The Mediterranean Champions Cup circuit alongside Les Régates Royales, Vele d’Epoca di Imperia, Argentario Sailing Week, Les Voiles d’Antibes and the Illes Balears Clàssics, from Club de Mar Mallorca.

The fleet will be divided into 5 categories, in agreement with the rules of the International Committee of the Mediterranean. The ships built before 1950 are considered of Era and are gathered in terms of if its gear is of “Cangreja” (trapezoidal) or “Bermudiano” (triangular). From that date until the late 70s, boats are marked in the Classics Division.

The XXI Copa del Rey Repsol will kick off officially on August 26th, with the opening of the Regatta Offices, the ships measurements and the participants’ registry. That same day, the communication media and sailors’ reunions will take place.

The tests will take place, logically one by day and with departure programmed at 12:30 a.m., from August 27th to 30th. This last test, at 7:30 a.m., will take place at the official awards ceremony.