The female class debuts in the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE

The second day of competition saw the addition of the Balearia Women's Cup class to complete the grid for the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The four ORC divisions competed in a coastal format, causing changes to the leaderboard in the battle for the ORC European Championship: only the Italian Guardamago and the German Early Bird managed to defend the top position obtained on the opening day.

After an opening day in which only the four ORC divisions competed, Wednesday, July 30th, marked the debut of the women's class of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE, which contributed its 15 boats to the fleet. On a day of light breezes, the competition program consisted of a coastal race for the four ORC divisions and four partial races for each women's team in the debut of the Balearia Women's Cup class.

The coastal course ran from the start in front of the RCNP and towards Isla del Toro and Les Malgrats, passing through different markas distributed throughout the bay before the finish line established in the vicinity of the host club. The distance covered would be 57 nautical miles for the ABANCA ORC 0, 52 for the Sail Racing ORC A and Ubico ORC B, and 38 for the Uber ORC C.

The leaders of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE at the end of the second day are the Italians Vudu in the ABANCA ORC 0 class and Guardamago in Ubico ORC B , the German Early Bird in Uber ORC C, and the Spanish Elena Nova in Sail Racing ORC A and CN Regatas in the Balearia Women's Cup .

The ABANCA ORC 0 boats were the first to start the coastal course at 12:20 p.m., after a brief delay while the wind stabilized. Brazilian Eduardo Plass's Crioula IV soon took the lead in real time, starting an interesting duel with the American Vesper that lasted until the finish. The Brazilian TP52 won the duel and stopped the clock at six hours, 32 minutes, and 29 seconds, also confirming its compensated victory after having to retire the previous day due to a material failure. The other Brazilian TP52 in the fleet, Alizé, finished second. The negative note of the day was the withdrawal from the Teatro del Soho-San Miguel.due to a broken mainsail. Adding up the partial results from the first two days, Italian Mauro Gestro's Vudu is the new leader, one point ahead of Vesper . The seventh place signed by Aifos , skippered by King Felipe, earned them a move up one place in the provisional standings, where they are now eighth.    

The Sail Racing ORC A coastal race saw an interesting duel for first position for much of the course between two teams who already know what it's like to win the Copa del Rey MAPFRE: Óscar Chaves' DK46 Hydra-HM Hoteles (2021 champion) and Christian Plump's ClubSwan 42 Elena Nova (winner in 2023 and 2024). After more than seven and a quarter hours of sailing, victory went to Elena Nova , ahead of Koyre-Spirit of Nerina and Nadir , completing a podium of ClubSwan 42 boats for the second consecutive day. Elena Nova is the new leader of the class.

Among the 32 teams that competed in the Ubico ORC B category , the first to complete the course was the Italian One Mr JJ, after just over seven and a half hours, but the winner once the times were compensated was the Argentine Katara of Julian Somodi, winner of the category in the last Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The Guardamago of the Italian Massimo Romeo Piparo was second, which allows it to retain the lead obtained with its victory on the first day.    

The Early Bird of Germany's Hendrick Brandis, winner of the opening day of the Uber ORC C, was the first to complete the course with a time of six hours and seven minutes and confirmed his second consecutive victory, consolidating his position at the top of the provisional standings after two days and two races. The German boat, on which the Mallorcan Manu Weiller competes as tactician, faces the third day with a three-point advantage over the also German Meerblick (third today) and five over the Italian Sarchiapone Furiserie (second today).  

The title inaugurated the qualifying round series between the 15 teams in the women's class of the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The Round Robin competition system governing this class resulted in ten races in groups of six boats, resulting in four partials for each team. With three wins and one second place, Esther Gómez's CN Regatas is the early leader of the week, tied on five points with Bárbara Cornudella's CN El Balís . María Bover's   Balearia/RCN Palma is provisionally third , with nine points.

Social activities at the Real Club Náutico de Palma have reached cruising speed. In the morning, the club's terrace hosted the presentation of the inclusive Mar Abierto project, sponsored by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation. The list of visiting familiar faces included Marta Hazas, Javier Veiga, Dr. Mario Alonso Puig, and influencer Ivana Icardi, among others. The day concluded with the MAPFRE Crew Party.

The competition returns today, Thursday, July 31st, at 12:00 p.m. with a new round of windward-leeward events for the four ORC divisions and more round-robin events for the Balearia Women's Cup. In the evening, the RCNP will host the highly anticipated White Cocktail Party.