Maximum Participation and New Format for the Women's Cup of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE

Sailing the Blusail 24 one-design boats provided by the organization and competing in a 'Round Robin' format, the women's class of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE will break its own participation record this year with 14 teams registered.

The 2024 edition marks the fifth anniversary since the Copa del Rey MAPFRE introduced one of its most significant recent innovations: the Women’s Cup. Launched in 2019 as a clear effort to promote women's sailing, this 42nd edition returns to the prestigious Mediterranean regatta with a new competition format.

As confirmed last February with the publication of the Race Announcement, the Blusail 24 boats for the competition will be supplied by the organizers. This provision has significantly reduced expenses and simplified logistics for the participating teams.

Consequently, this edition of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE will see a record number of participants in the Women’s Cup.

14 Teams and Four Intense 'Round Robin' Days

With Monday, July 29 and Tuesday, July 30 reserved for registration and training, the first start signal for the Women’s Cup will be on Wednesday, July 31. Many of the teams that have contested the title in recent editions will be at the starting line.

Nuria Sánchez's “Clínicas Dorsia,” winner of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE in 2021 and runner-up in the last two editions, Patricia Suárez's “Citanias,” and the defending champions, María Bover's “Team Balearia RCNP,” are among the 14 teams registered for this new edition.

“We are approaching this new edition with a lot of enthusiasm and especially a lot of excitement because it will be completely different from previous years,” says Bover, who, after winning the title the last two years, are clear favorites to win the ‘Cup’ again. “The level will be very high, so we are, as always, very eager and highly motivated.”

The competition format will also be different in this new Women’s Cup. The teams will compete for the title in a 'Round Robin' – all against all – and through several elimination rounds until reaching the Grand Final.

“This format makes the races shorter and much more intense. Often the winner isn't decided until the last race, which adds much more excitement, and there will be 'Round Robins' of six boats, so the points will be very tight,” says the Mallorcan skipper.

In total, there will be four days of competition to decide the new winners of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE.

The 42nd Copa del Rey MAPFRE is organized by the RCNP by delegation from the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation (RFEV), with sponsorship from MAPFRE, institutional sponsorship from the Government of the Balearic Islands and the City Council of Palma, and with the collaboration of the Balearic Port Authority and the Balearic Sailing Federation.