The growth of women’s sailing is unstoppable and in a competition like the Copa del Rey MAPFRE not only does it have its place, but it occupies a preferential position. ANDhe Real Club Náutico de Palma included the women’s class in the Cup in 2019 and since then it has not stopped giving people talk. To date, three editions have been held (in 2020 there were none due to the pandemic) and in each one there was a different champion: the Helena Alegre’s ‘Belear Federation’ lifted the title in 2019; Nuria Sánchez’s ‘Dorsia Covirán’ did it in 2021; and María Bover’s ‘Team Balearia’ last year. This 2023, the regatta adds new crews, there will be 11 teams, and it will compete with, as usual in Palma, J80 monodesigns under the name of Mallorca Sotheby’s Women’s Cup.
Among the 11 registered crews there will be no shortage of defending champions. Led by the Balearic sailor María Bover, the ‘Team Balearia’ won the champion title in 2022 accumulating a total of four victories and another four partial podiums. They beat another great team, and that won in the 2021 edition, such as ‘Dorsia Covirán’, which had Natalia Vía-Dufresne at the helm. Both boats will undoubtedly be back at the starting line in this edition and will be two clear contenders to fight for victory again. “We really want to start the regatta and we are very motivated. This year we have been able to do a few regattas on the Mediterranean circuit, so we have been able to get to know each other a bit more as a crew and that has been very good for us”, commented Bover.
There will be teams from Cantabria, the Balearic Islands, Galicia, Catalonia and Valencia. Apart from ‘Team Balearia’ (RCNP) and ‘Dorsia Covirán’ (RCR Alicante), there will also be ‘Sal’ by Helena Alegre (CN Arenal/RCNP); ‘North Zone’ by Eva González (RCM Santander); ‘Herbalife Nutrition – FBV’ by María Perelló (Balearic Sailing Federation); ‘Citanias’ by Patricia Suárez (RCN Vigo); ‘CN Arenal’ by Inés Ferrer; ‘Bandit’ by Elena Raga (RCM Santander); ‘Repsol FM Technological Group’ by Laura Tamani (T10 Sailing Club); and two crews from the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona and the Club Náutico Cambrils. “There is a high level, like every year, and in the end when there is such a competitive fleet, the team that is most inspired and makes the fewest mistakes is the one with the best chance of winning”Bover confirmed. The Mallorca Sotheby’s Women’s Cup competition program includes a maximum of 14 events spread over five days of regatta, starting on Tuesday, August 1.