Jochen Schümann, the triple Olympic gold medal was at the presentation of the Nations Trophy in Palma

The Nations Trophy has been created by the Nauthor Swan shipyard with the fundamental objective of revitalizing the concept of competition between nations. This is an event that reflects the historical legacy of international navigation and at the same time aims to enhance the marine qualities of its participants. The first edition of this new race will take place from 10 to 14 October 2017 in Palma de Mallorca. The Nations Trophy will bring together ships of ClubSwan 50, Swan 45 and ClubSwan 42, all of them monotypes that compete in real time.

Leonardo Ferragamo, president of Nauthor's Swan and passionate sailboat shipowner with the unmistakable Swan label, is the "soul mater" of the Nations Trophy, the person who has made possible this renewed concept of international competition. "We are very excited about this project", says Ferragamo, for whom "it will be an experience to see how the shipowners of all countries gather to compete as gentlemen on such similar ships." This year's race will be held under the organization of the Real Club Nautico de Palma (RCNP), one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized clubs, host of annual competitions as important and consolidated as SailRacing PalmaVela or the Mapfre King's Cup. Javier Sanz, president of the RCNP, highlights his club's commitment to the sport of sailing and high-level races. "It is an honor for the Royal Nautical Club of Palma to have been chosen to celebrate this first edition of the Nations Trophy. Palma is recognized for offering excellent conditions for navigation. We have a magnificent field of races and have the experience of over three decades in organizing great events. We are convinced that the race will be a success," says Sanz.

Jochen Schümann, with three Olympic gold medals in his existence and the American Cup, is president of Swan One Design Racing and another of the key actors in the launch of this new event. "The Nations Trophy," he explains, is open to all classes of Swan One Design: the well-known Swan 45, ClubSwan 42 and the new and innovative ClubSwan 50. The three will fight for victory in their classes, as well as for the absolute trophy of nations, which is an additional incentive for crews. "During the four days of race, which include three days of barlovento / sotavento testing and a technical coastal journey, the Swan 45 will compete for their World Championship and the ClubSwan 50 and 42 will compete for their European Championship. The intensive competition program leaves no room for error. All races will be the same and there will be no discards. The winner of the United Nations Trophy will be determined by taking the scores of the two best ships in each country participating in the fleet as a whole. The nation with the least number of points will be the winner. Schümann claims that the Nations Trophy has aroused considerable interest in the Swan One Design fleet. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States are expected to participate. The idea of the organizers is that the Nations Trophy is held every two years in different cities. Efforts have already been made to ensure that the 2019 race is held in Newport (United States), the 2021 race in Cowes (United Kingdom) and the 2023 race in Hong Kong.