Mahón, the epicenter of offshore racing with the Sant Joan Regatta–Alfonso XIII Trophy

The 25th edition of the Menorca Sant Joan Regatta, Alfonso XIII Trophy, will take place starting Thursday, June 20th, with the race commencing from Barcelona at 12 PM heading towards Menorca. Fifty registered boats will compete for victory in the 140 nautical miles separating the two ports.

The arrival of the first boats is expected from Thursday night to early Friday morning, though this will depend on the weather conditions in this historic race. The winner will receive a replica of the silver trophy designed by jeweler Puig Doria.

Basilio Ferrer, president of the Mahón Maritime Club, presented the regatta, which will be complemented once again by the spectacular Puerto de Mahón Regatta on Saturday. This event offers an opportunity to witness the skill and dexterity of the crew sailing within the harbor, where the margin for error is minimal due to the confined space. The race will start at 12 PM and can be viewed from various lookout points in the city of Mahón, with the course beginning in front of the Naval Base.

In the evening, the trophy ceremony and subsequent party will take place on the rooftop of the Mahón Maritime Club at 8:30 PM, featuring ice cream from La Menorquina, a club sponsor, to help participants cool down and recover after their efforts.

Mayor of Mahón Héctor Pons and the Director of Tourism Promotion, Begoña Mercadal, joined Ferrer in the presentation. “We are aware that this is a great opportunity both nationally and internationally, as this regatta will attract a lot of interest in the coming days. We are very pleased with the participation, and among the new features, we will try to bring the competition even closer through social media and our website,” Ferrer explained.

Pons stated, “It is great to see how the Mahón Maritime Club is the heart of the port with its activities, such as this regatta, and the daily work in training, which the city takes pride in.” Mercadal noted that the Menorca Sant Joan is “an important event because, through the 50 boats sailing solely by wind and currents, the Peninsula and the Island are symbolically brought closer together. It is a regatta that allows people to discover Menorca through one of the pillars of the current promotion strategy pursued by the Menorca Tourism Promotion Foundation—active tourism, experiences, and especially nautical sports tourism.”