Boats from up to 12 countries will compete in the Odilo ORC 1 class at the Copa del Rey

One of the most hotly contested classes due to the homogeneity of its boats is the “Odilo ORC 1,” which is also the most international class of all those comprising this 42nd edition of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE, with 12 countries registered out of a total of 22 units.

The fleet will be led by the Swan 42 “Elena Nova” of Christian Plump and Javier Sanz, who will defend the title won in 2023. “We are very excited to defend the title,” commented Sanz. “We started the season with a victory in the Godó just over a month ago, and our strength is always the stability and strength of the crew, which has been practically the same for many years, and, moreover, we are playing at home.”

The current champion of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE will face many podium favorites such as the Argentine “From Now On” of Fernando Chain, who will arrive in Palma with the Giraglia 2024 title in hand. “We come to the Copa with great enthusiasm to participate once again in a very competitive fleet like ORC 1,” comments Chain, the owner of the Argentine team. “We have worked on the boat, adjusting some details that have already shown to give us more speed, which adds to our enthusiasm. Recently, we competed in the Loro Piano Giraglia, a championship we also like very much, which served to bring the team back together here in the Mediterranean and reconnect with From Now On.”

Fernando Chain was clear about their goal for this 42nd edition: “I believe that the team's vast experience, combined with the pleasure of participating in an event of this magnitude, motivates us a lot to try to win.”

Another major contender this edition will be “Estrella Damm,” by Basilio Marquínez and Ignacio Montes, who, after winning the Copa del Rey MAPFRE three times (1998, 2018, and 2019), return with a Swan 42 to challenge the favorites. “We arrive at the Copa del Rey MAPFRE with a lot of eagerness and excitement,” affirms Ignacio Montes. The co-owner of “Estrella Damm” announced that “this year we will have a new boat and a new team with the intention of fighting to win the Copa again.”

Among the entries for “Odilo ORC 1” are two Grand Soleil 44 units: the British “Andiamo” by David Hall and the Puerto Rican “Lazy Dog” by Sergio Gramoso. This boat model made a splash at the last PalmaVela in May and proved very competitive, decisively beating the ClubSwan 42 fleets, making it one to watch to see if the PalmaVela results can be replicated in this Copa del Rey MAPFRE.

Another favorite who has already enjoyed the success of stepping onto the awards stage in Ses Voltes is Jorge Martínez Doreste. This year, his team will be aboard a Botín & Carkeek 46 with owner Xiqui Mas and the “Varador,” which will compete against the DK 46 “HM Hospitales-Hydra,” helmed by Olympic and Copa del Rey MAPFRE champion Fernando León. León expressed his enthusiasm for starting the competition: “We arrive with great excitement to start the Copa and compete with the rest of the fleet. This year, having the TP52s in the Watches of Switzerland ORC 0, our group will be more competitive, although for me, the favorites are still the Swan 42s. However, like in the Trofeo Conde de Godó, we had a good battle with them, and we hope to give them a good fight.” The Olympic champion from Atlanta ‘96 concluded with a heartfelt message to the Real Club Náutico de Palma: “We are very eager to be there and sail where we love.”

Odilo sponsors the Copa del Rey MAPFRE and lends its name to the ORC 1 class. CEO Rodrigo Rodríguez explained the reasoning behind their involvement in the regatta: “At Odilo, we strive daily to empower everyone to become their best selves through unlimited learning. Learning requires a set of values that are acquired through sports, such as discipline, teamwork, responsibility, solidarity, and leadership.” Rodríguez expressed pride in “sponsoring the Copa del Rey MAPFRE and being active agents in promoting the importance of continuous learning and the transferable benefits of sports to other areas of life, contributing to the development of well-rounded individuals and responsible citizens.”

Manu Fraga, director of the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Copa del Rey MAPFRE, expressed his enthusiasm about Odilo’s involvement: “For the club and our event, it is great news that a leading company in its sector wants to join us. They will sponsor the ORC 1 class, one of the largest and most competitive classes in this edition.”