The 47th Armed Forces Trophy crowns its winners in the Bay of Palma

The Armed Forces Trophy took place this Saturday, June 20th, at the Real Club Náutico de Palma, hosting the regatta created by Marcial Sánchez Barcáiztegui, which strengthens the ties between the military navy and civilian sailing.

Palma Bay was filled with sails this Saturday for the 47th edition of the Armed Forces Trophy, one of the most popular social regattas in the Balearic sailing calendar. The event is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the Naval Regatta Commission of the Spanish Navy, and the Balearic Sailing Federation.

The event brought together cruising yachts, traditional Latin sail boats, and dinghies from various ports across Mallorca, with the aim of strengthening the relationship between the Armed Forces and civilian sailing through a day of sporting competition and maritime camaraderie.

The regatta featured two coastal courses adapted to the different participating classes. Cruisers completed a longer route, while dinghies and one-design classes sailed a shorter course. This format allowed a shared racecourse for a wide variety of boats, including ORC, Dragon, llaüts of Latin sail, 29er, 420, Snipe and OK Dinghy classes.

“It is a regatta with a very strong social component,” explained RCNP director Manu Fraga, highlighting the uniqueness of a competition open to such a diverse fleet. “It is something that only happens in this Trophy, the most open of all those held in our bay.”

Victory in ORC 1-3 went to In Situ, skippered by Luis Salom, while Fierabras, sailed by Javier Carbajosa, won in ORC 4. In the social cruiser divisions, the winners were Tessa, sailed by Jesús Hernández, in ORC Social A, and Maribel, sailed by Antonio Arnau, in ORC Social B.

In the Dragon class, Ahoy, skippered by Augusto Sanguineti, took the win; in Latin sail, San Antonio de Padua, sailed by Joan Ecker, prevailed; in OK Dinghy, Juan Ignacio Bestard won; in Snipe, the victory went to Arturo Madero and Miguel Enseñat; in 420, Nerea García and Antoni Llull won; and in 29er, Carlos Juan de Setmenat and Francisco Estarellas claimed first place.

The Trofeo de las Fuerzas Armadas rotates each year among the main sailing clubs in Palma Bay. Fraga highlighted the long-standing collaboration between the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Spanish Navy, describing it as “exceptional” and rooted in the close link between sailing and naval training.

He also recalled the Navy’s traditional support for major events organized by the club, both in terms of safety and logistics. As a recent example, he cited its assistance during the organization of the 2024 J/70 World Championship, when the military facilities at Porto Pi were made available for the event.

The Armed Forces Trophy was originally promoted by Rear Admiral Marcial Sánchez Barcáiztegui, who passed away in 2012, and who believed it was essential to strengthen ties between civil society and the Armed Forces. Nearly five decades later, the regatta continues to fulfill that mission, according to Admiral Jaime Rodríguez Toubes, who succeeded him and, despite being retired from his role at the Naval Sailing Delegation, took the opportunity to helm Aifos, one of the most iconic yachts of the Spanish Navy’s Naval Regatta Commission.