These are the absolute champions of the 21st Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época

‘Spartan’, ‘Amorita’, ‘Mariska’, ‘Argos’, and ‘Barlovento-Senda Azul’ have been crowned champions of the 21st Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época.

The Spartan (1913), in the Gaff Rig (Época Cangreja) class; the Amorita (1935), in the Bermudan Rig (Época Bermudiana) class; the Argos (1964), in the Classics division; the Mariska (1908), in Big Boats; and the Barlovento-Senda Azul (1975), in the Spirit of Tradition category, are the winners of the XXI Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Época, held in the waters of Menorca under the organization of the Club Marítimo de Mahón since August 27th.

The competition consisted of three races after the cancellation of the opening day due to lack of wind. It brought together a fleet of 49 boats from 11 countries, ranging from mid-19th-century to late-20th-century designs.

The most dramatic moment of the week, and the one for which this edition will be remembered, came on Thursday, August 28th, when a sudden storm with heavy rain and gusts of 53 knots surprised the fleet, taking out two of the regatta’s most iconic yachts: the Tuiga (1909), completely dismasted, and the Lady Anne (1912), which suffered a broken bowsprit and a fractured spreader. That day also produced some of the event’s most striking images, as the starting line was set inside Mahón harbor, next to the Isla del Rey.

The following two days of racing (Friday and Saturday) were held with steady southern winds and without incidents. On the final day, the breeze fluctuated between 6 and 12 knots along the course to Isla del Aire, whose lighthouse is an emblem of this regatta, considered the most prestigious in the Mediterranean vintage sailing circuit.

In the Gaff Rig (Época Cangreja) division (pre-1950 boats with trapezoidal rigs), the Spartan (1913) claimed its fifth title in the Copa del Rey Repsol, adding to those won in 2016, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Designed by Nathanael Herreshoff as part of the NY60 series, it dominated thanks to its greater length and sail area, leaving Rowdy (1916) and Chinook (1916) — its traditional rivals, also Herreshoff designs — with no chance of challenging. Those two engaged in another intense duel, ultimately resolved in favor of Rowdy, following a thorough refit during the winter.

In the Bermudan Rig (Época Bermudiana) division (pre-1950 boats with triangular rigs), victory went to Amorita (1935), a sloop designed by Nicholas S. Potter and skippered by Claudio Meali. It was the boat’s first win in the Copa del Rey Repsol, and it came with unexpected authority (two firsts and a second), relegating Santana (1930), owned by Wendy Schmidt, to second place after finishing only fourth in the last race. The Baruna (1938), helmed by Tony Morse, won the final race, jumping from mid-fleet to claim the final spot on the podium.

The story in the Classics division (boats built between 1950 and 1975) was almost written in advance. For seven editions, no boat has managed to unsettle the Argos (1964), a Holman & Pye owned by New Yorker Bárbara Trilling. Champion since 2018, it seemed for a moment that its dominance could be challenged, but neither Albacore (1966), owned by Luis Figueiredo, nor Star Shaphire of London (1957), owned by Jakob Glatz — who eventually took second and third overall — were able to dethrone the invincible Argos. With ten wins now in the Copa del Rey Repsol, the yacht is eyeing the historic record of 14 titles held by Calima, the most decorated boat in the regatta’s history.

The Big Boats competition inevitably lost some of its excitement after the withdrawals of Tuiga and Lady Anne following the second race. The latter had entered as the favorite after winning last year, but with the FI15 class being so evenly matched in design and crew performance, predictions are always risky. Mariska (1908), hoping to battle its sister ships, ended up sailing alone, as Cariad (1896), its only remaining rival, is a much slower gaff-rigged ketch that cannot compete with the sheer performance of these "Formula 1" boats of classic sailing. Instead, Cariad’s role was to dazzle spectators with its towering rig and authentic, old-world charm.

The most intense battle took place in the Spirit of Tradition division (classic yachts modified with modern materials or newly built to traditional lines). Here, Barlovento-Senda Azul (1975), owned by Domingo de Torres and featuring local sailor Fernando Rita for this edition, secured the win in the final race, reclaiming the lead lost after a fourth-place finish on Friday. The title was decided on the very last leg and by a single point. Flight of Durgan (2007), owned by Stuart & Grylls, which had started the day leading the provisional standings, had to settle for second place, followed by Happy Forever (2008), owned by Christian Oldendorff, just two points shy of the winner.

Bárbara Trilling, owner of Argos: “It’s been a magnificent Copa del Rey. The club has treated us wonderfully, and we’ve enjoyed both the racing and the beauty of Mahón harbor. I can’t believe this is our tenth victory, it’s just incredible. We’re going to celebrate in style: tonight, I’m closing down Latitud 40 with my entire crew.”

Jorge Haenelt, tactician aboard Barlovento-Senda Azul: “We came into the last day with a three-way tie at the top and knew that whoever finished ahead would win, but these races are really tough. Our rivals are very fast and need to gain a lot of time on us. We just sail as best we can to make sure that inevitable time gap doesn’t become too big. Today we managed it, we won on corrected time, and thanks to that, we’ve won the Copa del Rey, a goal we’ve been chasing for a long time. We’re thrilled. Tomorrow we head back to Málaga, but we’re definitely celebrating tonight.”