Sailors from 15 Countries to Compete in the Bay of Palma at the Historic Trofeo Ciutat de Palma

The new edition of the Trofeo Ciutat de Palma sailing event will bring together 340 boats from 15 countries, competing in the waters of the Bay of Palma from December 5 to December 8.

The event, organized with the collaboration of the Ajuntament de Palma, the Balearic Sailing Federation, and the Balearic Port Authority, among others, is exclusively for the Optimist class.

The Ciutat de Palma consists of four days of racing and a preliminary day dedicated to the registration of participants. The program includes a maximum of 12 races, with at least two necessary to validate the regatta. After the fifth race, participants can discard their worst result. The courses consist of a trapezoid, finishing at the end of the second upwind leg. The competition will officially begin on December 4 with the opening of the regatta office. The races will start on December 5 at 10:30 AM, and the final day will take place on December 8 at the same time. Given the more than 90 registered entries, the races will be divided into qualifying and final series. The fleet will also be organized into three groups, with three starts of just over a hundred boats each during the preliminary phase.

The 73rd Trofeo Ciutat de Palma was presented this Monday, December 2, in the Plenary Hall of the Palma City Hall, in an event attended by Javi Bonet, Deputy Mayor of Tourism, Culture, and Sports of the Palma City Hall; David Salom, General Director of Sports of the Palma City Hall; Pedro Vidal, Regional Secretary of Culture and Sports of the Balearic Government; Kiko Villalonga, Manager of Ports IB; Javier Núñez de Prado, Chief of the Naval Sector of the Balearics; José Escalas, Maritime Captain of Mallorca and Menorca; Catalina Darder, President of the Balearic Sailing Federation; Jesús Coll, Delegate in the Balearics of the Royal Assembly of Yacht Captains; Rafael Gil, President of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, Juan Romaguera, Vice President; Hugo Ramón, Sailing Officer; Jorge Forteza, Commodore, and Marta Salvá, Secretary.

Javi Bonet highlighted the importance of the event as a symbol of Palma's connection to the sea and its nautical tradition. “The Ciutat de Palma de Vela, after 73 editions, is very important for this city. It is a demonstration that Palma is linked to the sea. It is a pride to host these 340 athletes. The Real Club Náutico de Palma proves every day that its work is indispensable for the entire Mallorcan society and therefore, we encourage them to continue with their work,” he stated. He also announced that the City Hall is working on creating a municipal sailing school, a project he described as essential for bringing the sea closer to all citizens.

Rafael Gil emphasized that the Trofeo Ciutat de Palma is not only the oldest sporting competition in the Balearics but also a reflection of the values and history of the club. “This regatta represents a sporting and social heritage that belongs to the entire city, and its focus on grassroots sports makes it a unique event that promotes youth sports and brings the sea closer to new generations,” he noted. He also highlighted the long-standing collaboration between the RCNP and the City Hall, an institutional relationship that, according to his words, “has contributed to promoting nautical culture and positioning Palma as a benchmark in the world of sailing.”

With a history dating back to 1950, the Ciutat de Palma is the oldest sports event in the Balearics and a benchmark in the RCNP calendar. No other sporting event has been held for nearly three-quarters of a century in the archipelago. “It is the regatta that best symbolizes the Náutico de Palma's commitment to the city and the promotion of grassroots sports. In its origins, it was a competition of the Snipe class, the light sailing boat that popularized this sport in the Balearics in the mid-20th century, but over time it has evolved to become one of the most important youth sailing events in the world,” explains Manu Fraga, director of the RCNP.

“We will have participants from countries like Argentina, Belgium, Spain, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States,” said Pedro Marí, technical director of sailing at the club, who highlights the consolidated prestige of this trophy in Europe. The event is part of the 2024-2025 Optimist Excellence Cup circuit promoted by the Spanish Association of the International Optimist Class (AECIO), a factor that enhances its appeal for national teams.