The 62nd Gran Día de la Vela - Bufete Frau brought nine days of activity and seven days of competition to a close this Sunday, with a final day marked by almost perfect sailing conditions in Palma Bay.
VISIT OUR ONLINE TV AND EXPERIENCE THE SEA IN FIRST PERSON, WHEREVER AND WHENEVER YOU WANTThe characteristic summer embat, with southerly and south-westerly winds of between 9 and 13 knots, accompanied the fleets throughout an intense day that allowed the full scheduled programme to be completed across the two race areas set up by the organisers. The swell and uncomfortable waves that had affected sailing over the previous days had practically disappeared, providing very different conditions for the final outcome of the Optimist, ILCA 4 and 420 classes.
In Optimist, three races were held for each of the Gold, Silver and Bronze groups. The committee prepared a fourth start, although it ultimately could not be held after the time limit established in the sailing instructions was reached. The 420 class completed four more races, while the ILCA 4 fleet added another three races on a day when the high number of general recalls forced the committee to repeat several starts until the fleet was able to begin the races cleanly.
The excitement continued right up to the final metres in an Optimist class that went into the decisive day with Jan Palou Espinar, of Real Club Náutico de Palma, at the top of the standings. The Balearic sailor managed to defend his lead until the penultimate race, but an OCS in the final race of the championship completely changed the outcome. The penalty ended his chances of victory and relegated him to third place overall, just 2 points behind the winner.
The sailor who made the most of the opportunity was Mallorcan Mario Coronado, of Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa. The young Under-13 sailor also scored a race win during the day and finished the championship at the top of the Optimist standings, completing a performance that ultimately also earned him the most important prize of the entire regatta: the Gran Día de la Vela Overall Trophy.
The rules of the Overall Trophy establish that the winners of classes with at least 25 boats are eligible for the award, and to determine the winner, the three best race results of each class winner are taken into account. In the event of a tie, preference is given to the sailor belonging to the fleet with the greatest number of entries, which in this case was the Optimist class.
Mario Coronado went into this tie-break with three race wins, the same number as Stanley Krueger, of Real Club Náutico de Palma and winner of the ILCA 4 class. The larger Optimist fleet ultimately tipped the Overall Trophy in Coronado’s favour, adding his name to the list of winners of one of the Gran Día de la Vela’s most special distinctions.
After learning that he was the overall winner of this 62nd edition, the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa sailor expressed particular gratitude to those who had supported him throughout the competition. “I have won the trophy at this Gran Día de la Vela thanks to all my teammates, who have been helping me in every race, and of course thanks to my coach and the support of my whole family. I am absolutely delighted to have achieved it, as it has been very difficult because of the extremely high level of competition,” said Coronado.
Alongside the Overall Trophy, the Ricardo Arnau Memorial Trophy was also presented, an award intended to recognise the best rookie 420 crew or, failing that, the best final-year Optimist sailor. This year, the award went to the 420 pairing of Daniel Capa and Oliver Iglesias, of Club Nàutic S’Estanyol.
Sunday’s racing brought to a close an edition that once again turned Club Nàutic S’Arenal and Palma Bay into one of the major meeting points for sailing for a week and a half. Held between 22 and 30 August, the 62nd Gran Día de la Vela - Bufete Frau brought together more than 500 sailors and over 400 boats, figures that once again underline the scale reached by a competition with more than six decades of history.
A total of 34 sailing clubs were represented, 27 of them Spanish, with participants coming from seven autonomous communities. They were joined by a growing international presence, with sailors from Israel, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Denmark and Italy, further strengthening the international profile of an event that continues to grow without losing the essence with which it was created.
Over these days, the Optimist, Optimist D, 420, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, iQFOiL, Techno 293, ORC and Lateen Sailing classes have competed across the different race areas, in addition to the Optimist Team Racing competition, creating one of the broadest sporting programmes in Balearic sailing.
The 62nd edition concluded with the prize-giving ceremony held on the terrace of Club Nàutic S’Arenal, attended by the Sports Councillor of Llucmajor Town Council; the director of PortsIB, Francisco Villalonga; Marina Frau and Toni Frau, representing Bufete Frau, the event’s main sponsor; as well as Ricard Alabau and José Ramón Picó, representing the CNA Board of Directors. The ceremony recognised the winners of the different categories and officially brought the competition to a close. During his closing remarks, the president of Club Nàutic S’Arenal, José Ramón Picó, particularly highlighted the collective effort that makes it possible to keep alive an event now in its 62nd edition.
Picó expressed special thanks to the sailors, clubs and teams taking part, as well as to the coaches and families, recalling the hours of preparation, travel and effort behind every participant. The president extended this recognition to the race committees, judges, marina staff, volunteers and club employees who made the different days possible.
He also offered special thanks to Bufete Frau, the competition’s main sponsor, for maintaining its commitment to the Gran Día de la Vela and to the sport of sailing, as well as to Llucmajor Town Council and all the sponsors and partners who contribute each year to the growth of the regatta. “Reaching the 62nd edition means many years of history and tradition. And if we have made it this far, it is thanks to all of you: sailors, families, clubs, institutions, sponsors, partners and, of course, everyone who is part of Club Nàutic S’Arenal,” Picó said.
The president congratulated the winners, but also addressed those participants who had not achieved the result they had hoped for, reminding them that a regatta is not measured solely by the final standings, but also by everything learned along the way.
With attention already turning to the next edition, Club Nàutic S’Arenal thus bids farewell to another Gran Día de la Vela - Bufete Frau after nine days in which competition, camaraderie, effort and passion for the sea once again came together in Palma Bay.
Roll of Honour and Results: https://www.grandiadelavela.com/es/default/races/race-resultsall
420 Men’s/Mixed: 1st Nerea García-Faria and Antoni Llull – Real Club Náutico de Palma; 2nd Jorge Benítez and Juan Benítez – Real Club Náutico Puerto Pollensa; 3rd Nicolás Montoya – Club Nàutic S’Arenal and Nicolás Bastard – Real Club Marítimo del Abra – Real Sporting Club.
420 Women’s: 1st Amalia Coll – Club Nàutic S’Arenal and Laia Serena Mattos – Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa / C’an Pastilla; 2nd Elena López and Giulia Sandri – Club Nàutic El Balís; 3rd Noelia Garrigós and Isabel Solesio – Real Club de Regatas de Alicante.
ILCA 4 Men’s: 1st Stanley Krueger – Real Club Náutico de Palma; 2nd Hugo González – Real Club de Regatas de Alicante; 3rd Izan Rogel – Real Club Náutico Torrevieja.
ILCA 4 Women’s: 1st Sofía Leal – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 2nd Mara Peñalver – Club Náutico Mar Menor; 3rd Valentina Belso – Real Club Náutico Torrevieja.
Optimist Under-11 Boys: 1st Borja Morro – Club Marítimo de Mahón; 2nd Marc Sabater – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 3rd Marc Caldentey – Club Nàutic S’Arenal.
Optimist Under-11 Girls: 1st Alba Alcaraz – Club Náutico Los Nietos; 2nd Marina Baos – Club Náutico Cala Gamba; 3rd Leonor Truyols – Real Club Náutico de Palma.
Optimist Under-13 Boys: 1st Mario Coronado – Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa / C’an Pastilla; 2nd Damià Galcerà – Real Club Náutico de Barcelona; 3rd Louis Amiel – Club Marítimo de Mahón.
Optimist Under-13 Girls: 1st Aina Sánchez – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 2nd Alexia Sotomayor – Club Nàutic Vilassar de Mar; 3rd Neus Sánchez – Club Nàutic S’Arenal.
Optimist Under-16 Boys: 1st Miguel Echavarri – Real Club Marítimo de Santander; 2nd Jan Palou – Real Club Náutico de Palma; 3rd Pablo López – Real Club Náutico de Valencia.
Optimist Under-16 Girls: 1st Maud Oosterhaven – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 2nd Inés Rodado – Club Náutico Mar Menor; 3rd María Guindín – Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria.
Optimist Team Racing: 1st Real Club Náutico de Palma, coach Gemma Llamas; 2nd GoldWinds, coach Dante Cittadini; 3rd Club Nàutic S’Arenal, coach Adrián Barceló.
ORC 0-4: 1st Abracadabra – Mark Sadler – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 2nd Kyo 6 – Guillermo Durán – Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa / C’an Pastilla; 3rd Histolab – Juan José Torres – Real Club Náutico de Palma.
ORC Social 0-4: 1st Sagittarius – Jacinto Peláez – Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa / C’an Pastilla; 2nd Agaloe – Toni de Andrés – Club Nàutic S’Arenal; 3rd Martini – Gabriel Dolç – Club Nàutic S’Arenal.
Results: https://www.grandiadelavela.com/es/default/races/race-resultsall
Five champions bring the 22nd Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época to a close in MahónGran Día de la Vela - Bufete Frau showcases its full scale across Palma Bay 
