World Champion vs European Champion: A Blockbuster Copa del Rey Mapfre Duel in Sail Racing ORC A
by Copa del Rey MAPFRE 1 Jul 16:24 BST
1-8 August 2026
Sail Racing ORC A at the Copa del Rey Mapfre © María Muiña / Copa del Rey MAPFRE
The 44th Copa del Rey Mapfre will bring together the two standout international performers of the season in the Sail Racing ORC A class: the reigning ORC World Champion and the reigning European Champion. It is a rare head-to-head that promises to make this one of the regatta's most compelling classes.
The DK46 Estrella Damm, owned by Nacho Montes, will defend the title it claimed in Palma last year while chasing a remarkable fifth Copa del Rey Mapfre victory. Standing in its way is Sweden's Carkeek 41 Rán, owned by Niklas Zennström and the reigning ORC World Champion, aiming to add one of sailing's most prestigious trophies to its impressive record.
For Manu Fraga, General Manager of Real Club Náutico de Palma, this match-up perfectly illustrates the exceptional level of competition expected in the class: "Having the reigning World Champion and the reigning European Champion competing against each other makes Sail Racing ORC A one of the strongest classes at the 44th Copa del Rey Mapfre. It's a rare duel, and Palma is the perfect stage for it."
The battle for victory, however, extends well beyond these two leading contenders. Sail Racing ORC A will once again feature one of the most competitive fleets of the regatta, with several teams capable of claiming the title. Among them is Estonia's Nola, owned by Margus Uudam, which dominated the recent Sandberg PalmaVela; the Swan 42 Elena Nova, owned by Christian Plump, a two-time Copa del Rey Mapfre winner (2023 and 2024); and the DK46 HM Hospitales-Hydra, owned by Óscar Chaves, with Olympic champion Fernando León calling tactics and José Ponce at the helm.
The list of podium contenders also includes several top teams arriving in Palma on the back of strong performances at the ORC World Championship. Sweden's GP42 Garm, owned by Per Roman, and Argentina's Swan 45 From Now On, owned by Fernando Chain, finished sixth and seventh respectively at the Worlds. They will be joined by another Spanish contender, the DK46 Bazán, representing Real Club Marítimo de Sotogrande and campaigned by Marcelino Oreja and Cote Armenteros, with Ricardo Zabell helming.
Nacho Montes, owner of the Estrella Damm Sailing Team, is approaching his title defence with confidence, while fully aware of the strength of the competition: "The Copa del Rey Mapfre is the highlight of our season. We have prepared our campaign by competing at the Conde de Godó Trophy, where we took the overall win, and this weekend we'll race at the SM La Reina Trophy. These are two key events that allow us to arrive in Palma in the best possible shape, full of motivation and determined to defend our title. We know it won't be easy because the level of the fleet is once again exceptional, but we approach the challenge with maximum ambition. For us, the Copa del Rey Mapfre has always been the most special regatta on the calendar."
Find out more at www.regatacopadelrey.com