ORC European Champions to Be Decided at the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE Showdown

August 1, 2025 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - The penultimate day of the 43rd edition of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE competition delivered the best sailing conditions of the week, allowing for three races in the battle for the ORC European titles. The introduction of discards shook up the leaderboard, heightening the suspense ahead of Saturday’s grand finale, where two final races will decide the 2025 champions. The provisional leaders going into the final day are VESPER (USA) in ABANCA ORC 0, NADIR (ESP) in Sail Racing ORC A, GUARDAMAGO (ITA) in Ubico ORC B and EARLY BIRD (GER) in Uber ORC C.

Ideal Conditions for a Full Racing Schedule

Racing started just after 12:30 with 8 knots of breeze in the Bay of Palma, increasing up to 15 knots as forecast. The ideal conditions allowed the Race Committee to schedule three races for each ORC class—the most intensive day so far. After the second race, discards came into effect, allowing each team to drop their worst score from the series. The result: tighter standings and thrilling prospects for the final day. The top two boats are separated by just one point or less in three of the four divisions.

VESPER takes control in ABANCA ORC 0

After starting the day tied with BLUE (TP52), the American TP52 VESPER, owned and helmed by David Team, had the strongest performance with two second places and one race win—securing pole position for the final showdown. VESPER now leads by 5.5 points over CRIOULA IV (TP52) and 11 points ahead of BLUE. Among the Spanish contenders, AIFOS (TP52), helmed by King Felipe VI, delivered results of 6, 10, and 4.5 (tied with URBANIA (Soto 52) in the final race), climbing from eighth to sixth overall.

Wearing the Hawaiian shirts which have become the stipulated dress code on each Friday of a regatta, the VESPER crew topped off a pair of seconds with their first race win of the event to lead into Saturday’s finale. With a fifth as their discard just now the American crew, who a year ago won the hotly contested ORC division at the New York YC’s 170th anniversary regatta, have the Palma title in their grasp.

Morgan Larson (USA), tactician on VESPER (USA):

“The shirts are a bit of fun. One of our bowmen Dylan Vogel showed up a couple of years ago on the Friday of a regatta with an aloha shirt and since then someone else did and now it is the rule. You bring your own and if you don’t you have to buy the beers. Maybe it made the luck today. But it was a great day today. We found the rhythm with the team and we started a little bit better. Tom Burnham and Sean Clarkson have sailed so many hours with the 52 Super Series here they helped me point us in the right direction. But it was really boatspeed which got us to the top today.”

Consistency puts NADIR on top in Sail Racing ORC A

A shift in the leaderboard followed the application of discards. ESTRELLA DAMM (ClubSwan 42), skippered by Nacho Montes, was the day’s top performer (1, 4, 1), but NADIR (ClubSwan 42), helmed by Pedro Vaquer, moved into the overall lead thanks to consistent results all week. After four days and seven races, the 2022 and 2023 Copa del Rey winner and ClubSwan 42 World Vice Champion holds a narrow advantage over ESTRELLA DAMM, with HYDRA–HM HOTELES (DK46) six points behind—marking a provisional all-Spanish podium.

Lead changes hands in UBICO ORC B after dramatic day

GUARDAMAGO 3 (Italia 11.98), led by Massimo Piparo, delivered a strong day with three second-place finishes, moving into first place in a 34-boat fleet. The Estonian team TECHNONICOL (X-41 Mod..), helmed by Mati Sepp, started the day in the lead and even won Race 1, but a 26th in the final race (their worst result of the week) dropped them to second, just half a point behind. SUGAR 3 (Italia 11.98), owned by Ott Kikkas, remains in third, 9.5 points off the lead.

"Focused and shiny, that’s how we approached today’s races aboard GUARDAMAGO 3," says Daniele De Tullio, mainsail trimmer and part of the afterguard. "Climbing back up the leaderboard wasn’t easy, especially since we had to discard a 21st-place finish from one of the windward-leeward races. We gave it everything mentally and physically to stay consistent through three demanding races where the breeze never truly settled, constantly shifting right and left. We finished second in all three races, choosing not to take unnecessary risks. It was also a particularly intense day for our owner, Massimo R. Piparo, who helmed the boat throughout the three complex inshore races."

Tight battle in UBER ORC C as NUNOTA CAFIVER closes in

EARLY BIRD (Cape 31), skippered by Hendrik Brandis, has led since Day 1 in Uber ORC C but barely holds onto it now. The German team’s more modest results (3, 4, 5) combined with a stellar day from NUNOTA CAFIVER (Vrolijk 37), skippered by Mon Cañellas (1, 1, 3), has closed the gap to just half a point. JP FINANCIAL DE 6 (First 36.7), helmed by Jorge Martínez Doreste, is climbing into third overall after a strong comeback.

Everything to Play for on Final Day

The 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE will conclude tomorrow, Saturday, with two final windward-leeward races for all ORC divisions, starting at 12:00. The 2025 ORC European Champions will be crowned at the end of racing.

The official awards ceremony will take place at 21:00 at the Palacio de La Almudaina.

Top 3 Standings – After 4 days and 7 Races (1 discard, Provisional)

ABANCA ORC 0

1. VESPER (TP52, USA) – David Team – 13.5 pts
2. CRIOULA IV (TP52, BRA) – Eduardo Plass – 19.0 pts
3. BLUE (TP52, ITA) – Fabrizio Boromei – 24.5 pts

Sail Racing ORC A

1. NADIR (ClubSwan 42, ESP) – Pedro Vaquer – 20.0 pts
2. ESTRELLA DAMM SAILING TEAM (DK46, ESP) – Luis Martínez Doreste – 21.0 pts
3. HYDRA–HM HOTELES (DK46, ESP) – Fernando León – 26.0 pts

Ubico ORC B

1. GUARDAMAGO 3 (Italia Yachts 11.98, ITA) – Massimo Romeo Piparo – 15.0 pts
2. TECHNONICOL (X-41 Mod, EST) – Mati Sepp – 16.0 pts
3. SUGAR 3 (Italia Yachts 11.98, EST) – Sandro Montefusco – 24.5 pts

Uber ORC C

1. EARLY BIRD (Cape 31, GER) – Hendrik Brandis – 13.0 pts
2. NUNOTA CAFIVER SAILING TEAM (Vrolijk 37, ESP) – Mon Cañellas – 13.5 pts
3. JP FINANCIAL DE 6 (Salona 37, ESP) – Jorge Martínez Doreste – 22.5 pts

Complete results

The 43 Copa del Rey MAPFRE, including ORC European Championship 2025, is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) by delegation of the Real Federación Española de Vela (RFEV), with the sponsorship of MAPFRE, the institutional sponsorship of the Govern de les Illes Balears, the Palma City Council, with the collaboration of the Autoritat Portuaria de Balears and the Federación Balear de Vela. This ORC European Championship 2025 is under the overall jurisdiction of the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).

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