Mallorcan sailor Dani Capa is crowned champion of the 74th ABANCA Ciutat de Palma Trophy

Mallorcan sailor Dani Capa, with four first-place finishes in seven races, left no chance for his rivals. The competition brought together 365 sailors from 28 countries. The RCNP is preparing a special edition to celebrate the 75th anniversary in 2026.

Mallorcan sailor Dani Capa was proclaimed champion of the 74th ABANCA Ciutat de Palma on Sunday, December 7th. The competition gathered 365 sailors from 28 countries over four days at the facilities of the Real Club Náutico de Palma. The Club Nàutic S’Estanyol sailor dominated the event after four days in which the Bay of Palma offered all kinds of conditions.

The trophy began with strong winds, with gusts reaching 30 knots of Mistral on the second day. The weather on the third day was typical of the Bay of Palma, with medium southwesterly winds. Today, the racecourse woke up covered by a dense fog that made visibility impossible. The situation was one of complete calm, with the organizers’ boats’ anemometers literally still. Hours passed and, when it seemed that racing would not be possible, the Race Committee decided to send out the Gold Group fleet for a final race as conditions began to improve.

The start was given around 14:45 with a 7-knot westerly wind. That light breeze favored the lighter sailors, and the win went to Jan Palou of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, last year’s champion, who climbed to seventh place overall with this result. Dani Capa and Izan Rogel, who were battling for the overall victory, finished mid-fleet and discarded the result of this last race.

Sunday’s race did not change the podium: Dani Capa, with a total of 13 points, won thanks to his consistency throughout the event, collecting four partial victories. Second place went to Izan Rogel of the Real Club Náutico de Torrevieja, who finished with 18 points and won the Under-13 category, while Slovenian sailor Mihael Zobec (JK Olimpic), the current world runner-up, completed the podium with 25 points.

The sailor from S’Estanyol, who won silver in 2024, competed at a very high level, leading the overall standings from the very first race, a privileged position he never relinquished throughout the championship. Capa was finally able to shake off last year’s disappointment and lift the iconic silver caravel, the trophy that certifies him as the winner of the 74th ABANCA Ciutat de Palma, the oldest competition on the Balearic calendar.

The winner explained that he had a clear strategy: “My rival had only one opportunity, but he needed to win the race, so at the start I went for him to control him; I also saw that one of his teammates positioned himself next to me to control me.” Once Capa confirmed that Rogel no longer had a chance to overtake him, he was able to relax and savor a victory he already knew was secure.

With the ABANCA Ciutat de Palma title in hand, Dani Capa will face his final season in the Optimist class in 2026. The Mallorcan sailor stated that his goal is to be among the best in national events in order to qualify for the World Championship, which will be held in Tangier (Morocco) at the end of June next year.

María Antonia Peñalver, from Club Náutico Mar Menor, finished ninth overall and was the winner in the women’s category, followed by Valentina Belso of the Real Club Náutico Torrevieja and Raquel Sanchís of the Real Club Náutico Valencia, who was third.

The Murcian sailor, pleased after receiving her medal as women’s champion, emphasized the importance of making a good start in this type of regatta with such a large fleet. Peñalver, who was taking part in the ABANCA Ciutat de Palma for the fourth time, noted that today was a very complicated day “with little wind and many shifts, making it very difficult to read the racecourse.”

Manu Fraga, director of RCN Palma, gave a “very positive” assessment of the 74th ABANCA Ciutat de Palma. “We have gathered a large international fleet. Although this regatta is aimed at youth sailing, it is a high-level competition where young sailors have the opportunity to share the event and racecourse with some of the world’s best specialists, which is undoubtedly a privilege for them.” The head of the organization is convinced that the RCNP has found the ideal format and that, looking to the future, “we must continue working along the same lines, incorporating improvements and services.” He also thanked ABANCA for joining the club’s team. “Having a good sponsor allows us to innovate, such as live streaming the regatta on social media and tracking through the trac-trac satellite system.”

The awards ceremony, held at 06:00 p.m., was presided over by the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, who, during the event presentation on December 2nd in the City Hall’s Plenary Chamber, invited the club to celebrate the regatta’s 75th anniversary “in grand style,” referring to it as a heritage asset of the city.