The Copa del Rey trophy was exhibited during the presentation in Madrid. Photo: María Muiña

For the second consecutive year the hotel IBEROSTAR Las Letras de Madrid has hosted the official presentation of the MAPHRE King's Cup of Sailing, event held last night. He has been attended by more than a hundred guests among sponsors, press and regatists who have lived in the first person the official start of this 36th edition. Among the attendees were the president and vice president of MAPHRE, Antonio Huertas and Antonio Núñez, respectively; Guenther Seemann, executive president of BMW Group Spain and Portugal or the patron of the Spanish team in class GC 32, the Basque Olympic champion Iker Martínez.

Manuel Fraga, the sports director of the race, opened the event by giving the floor to Javier Sanz, president of the organizing club, the Real Club Náutico de Palma, who wanted to thank MAPHRE and the other cooperating firms for their confidence and support for the MAPHRE King's Cup. "Without them, it is impossible to do so," Sanz said.

"The 'Copa' is at the vanguard of the candle updating its classes both monotype and handicap and maintaining the monoshacks and flying catamarans, as is the case with the GC32 class, where the main novelty of this year is the first participation of a Spanish team. It will be the team led by one of the most talented regatists in our country, Iker Martínez, who sails with the RCNP's grompola."

For his part, José Manuel Inchausti, CEO of the Iberia Territorial Area of MAPHRE, also addressed all the attendees, stressing that "being one more year as sponsors of the best sailing competition in Spain and one of the most important at international level is a satisfaction for all of us who form MAPHRE."

"We are convinced that, as in previous editions, this will be an exciting week and a completely successful competition thanks to the work and efforts of all athletes, organizers, teams and people related to the MAPHRE King's Cup."

A race that keeps innovating
The MAPHRE King's Cup remains true to its principles, and for its 2017 edition it calls for a heterogeneous international fleet that will combine the best monotypes with classes that compete in compensated time.

After the success of their debut in 2016, the GC32 flying catamarans have returned to Palma Bay, which have chosen the 36 Cup of the King MAPHRE as the third notable date for their European circuit GC32 Racing Tour 2017.

This year's premiere vitola passes to the ClubSwan 50, the beautiful monotypes that were presented worldwide during the 2016 MAPHRE King's Cup and who chose the newly disputed Sail Racing PalmaVela to perform its brand-new European debut. It is estimated that up to ten units will sail in the acclaimed bay of Palma.

The Swan 45, ClubSwan 42, X-35 and J80 monotypes and the IRC, ORC and Maxi 72 fleets are also called.

The competition program includes a maximum of 24 sleeves for the GC32, 12 for the X35, Swan 45 and J80, and 11 for the rest of the classes.

A sports and social date
The MAPHRE King's Cup is much more than a race. The competition is completed on the ground with a social agenda that is a reference in the summer of the Balearic Island. Personalities and guests intermingle with the about 1,500 crew members to enjoy an attractive cocktail of gastronomy, music and entertainment that attracted in the last edition of 2016 guests of the world of sport, music and royalty as the member of the royal family Monegasca Pierre Casiraghi and his wife Beatrice Borromeo, chef Martín Berasategui, former tennis player Carlos Moyà and his wife the actress and host Carolina Cerezuela, among others.

The social program of the MAPHRE King's Cup for 2017 is guaranteed, and it will not miss its three key events: the Festival of the Regatist by Discoteca Club de Mar - Picco Palma, the Armors' Dinner and the Trophy Delivery ceremony that, on Saturday August 5, will put the point and end this 36th edition.