46 boats will compete in the XX Copa del Rey Repsol in Menorca

The Big Boat class gathers the largest fleet of recent years at the Club Marítimo de Mahón: "Mariska" (1908), "Tuiga" (1909), "Lady Anne" (1912), "Mariette" (1915), "Hallowe'en" (1926), and "Viveka" (1929) return, and "Orianda" (1927) makes its debut.

The XX Copa del Rey Repsol for Classic Boats will gather one of the largest fleets of classic sailboats in the Mediterranean in Menorca from August 27 to August 31. Among the 46 boats pre-registered in the regatta organized by the Club Marítimo de Mahón are seven of the world’s most spectacular "Big Boats". "It has been years since the large boat category has hosted so many boats, of such quality and well-preserved," confesses Nacho Marra, the event director, who is "very satisfied" with the owners' response and their loyalty to Menorca in a year when changes in the regatta calendar and the proximity of the America's Cup in Barcelona suggested a decline in participation: "In the end, it has not been so, a sign that we have a very solid regatta and of a very high level that always navigates with a steady course."

Indeed, the historical evolution of the Copa del Rey for Classic Boats over two decades demonstrates the strength of the brand, the organizational reliability of the Club Marítimo de Mahón - which literally goes out of its way to provide excellent service to the owners and their crews - and the undeniable appeal that the coastal landscapes of Menorca have for fans of vintage sailing. These three aspects make, in Marra's words, the Copa del Rey one of the "most and best-attended" events of the six that make up the Mediterranean Champions Cup classic sailing circuit.

This twentieth-anniversary edition highlights the presence of seven large sailboats that will compete in the "Big Boats" class, reserved for lengths equal to or greater than 24 meters. Three of them were present at last year's regatta ("Viveka", "Hallowe'en" and "Mariska"), three had not been to Mahón in a while ("Tuiga", "The Lady Anne" and "Mariette"), and the last is unprecedented. It is "Orianda" (1937), an impressive 26-meter schooner designed by Oscar W. Dahlstrom, built in Denmark, and now sailing under the British flag. Its fascinating history includes military seizures and various uses, typical of octogenarian boats. However, its most famous period corresponds to the 1980s, when the vessel was purchased by Neil Peart, drummer for the Canadian band Rush, who recounts in his biography that while anchored in the Virgin Islands, he was inspired to compose several songs that would later become very popular. Its current owner is the Italian Iginio Angelini, who entrusts the helm to his compatriot Tommaso Crisi.

The return of "Mariette" (1915), with its imposing gaff schooner rigging and nearly 40 meters, is another of the prominent additions to the XX Copa del Rey Repsol. Very few boats in the global circuit offer the presence of this colossus designed in 1915 by Nathanael G. Herreshoff, known as the Wizard of Bristol and considered one of the great geniuses of naval architecture of all time. Also in the competition are "Mariska" (1908), defending the title, "Tuiga" (1909) and "Lady Anne" (1912), three of the four survivors of the FI15 class in which the best regattas of the early 20th century were contested, all from the pen of the legendary William Fife III. The luxury septet is completed by "Viveka" (1929) and "Hallowe'en" (1926), second and third respectively in the 2023 King's Cup.

The rest of the fleet will be divided into four categories, according to the rules of the International Mediterranean Committee. Boats built before 1950 are considered Vintage and grouped depending on whether their rig is Crab claw (trapezoidal) or Bermudian (triangular). From that date until the late 70s, boats fall into the Classics division. Spirit of Tradition boats complete the fleet.

The XX Copa del Rey Repsol officially begins on August 27, with the opening of the Race Office, boat measurements, and participant registration. That same day will feature the media presentation and the skippers' meeting.

The races will be held, one per day with a scheduled start at 12:30 PM, from August 28 to August 31. On the last day, at 7:30 PM, the official trophy presentation ceremony will take place.