Nadir Crowned World Champion of ClubSwan 42

Yesterday, October 27, the Spanish vessel Nadir, owned by Mallorcan Pedro Vaquer, won the World Championship of the ClubSwan 42 class after four days of intense competition in the Bay of Palma. This is the second time that the team from the Club de Vela Port d’Andratx has clinched the top international trophy of its category, which it also won in 2022 in Valencia.

“It has been a very tough week, with very complicated weather. The ClubSwan 42 class forms a very tight fleet, where all the races are very close and the excitement lasts until the last moment. We are very pleased with this new triumph,” declared Pedro Vaquer moments after lifting the cup that certifies his crew as the best in the world, during the closing ceremony of the Swan One Design Worlds organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

The four days of races were marked, as Vaquer stated, by unusual conditions for the race field of the Balearic capital, with unstable winds and occasional showers. The Committee decided to advance the start of the final day’s races to early morning yesterday, October 27, to try to take advantage of the land breezes, but eventually, the wind settled from the SSE. Yesterday, two races were completed with many shifts, an average intensity of 12 knots, and some gusts of 20. The previous three days were raced with light winds of no more than 8 knots.

In the ClubSwan 42 class, the only one with Spanish vessels represented, the “Pez de Abril,” owned by José María Meseguer, fought for victory with “Nadir” until the last leg but had to settle for the runner-up position, just one point behind the winner. The podium was completed by the Italian “Canopo,” owned by Adriano Majolino.

Victory in the ClubSwan 50 class also had a Spanish flavor. The “Olymp,” owned by Mark Bezner, which sails under the German flag and represents the Real Club Náutico de Palma, took advantage of the last day to climb two places and win by a one-point margin over the Monegasque “Moonlight,” owned by Graeme Peterson. The world champion crew in this category, which brings together the larger Swan one-designs and the most professional teams, included several Spanish sailors for the occasion, among them Gonzalo Araujo, Jose Ignacio Braquehais, Eduardo Horrach, Juan Luis Páez, and Pedro Mas. Third place went to the Italian “Cuordileone,” owned by Leonardo Ferragamo, president of Nautor Swan.

In ClubSwan 36, the Brazilian “Mamao,” owned by Haakon Lorentzen, overtook the Hungarian “Black Battalion” on the last day by two points, relegating it to the runner-up position, ahead of another “Cuordileone,” in this case owned by Edoardo Ferragamo on behalf of Nautor Swan.

The award ceremony, held on the terrace of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, marked the end of the 2024 edition of the Swan One Design Worlds, which brought together 28 vessels from 13 countries.

Manu Fraga, director of the RCNP, acknowledged that the weather conditions were not the most desired, but praised the excellent work of the Race Committee for “having patience during the first three days and managing to carry out six races” out of a maximum of eight.

Starting Tuesday, October 29, the RCNP will host another international event: the Ok Dinghy European Championship.