Azulmarino ORC C: The Copa del Rey Mapfre Class with the Greatest Concentration of Champions
by Copa del Rey MAPFRE 22 Jul 06:06 PDT
1-8 August 2026
Early Bird at the Copa del Rey Mapfre © Nico Martínez / Copa del Rey Mapfre
The reigning World Champion, the reigning European Champion, the European runner-up, and the winners of the Sandberg PalmaVela and the SM La Reina Trophy will go head-to-head in one of the most competitive and unpredictable classes of the 44 Copa del Rey Mapfre.
Few classes at the 44 Copa del Rey Mapfre can boast a line-up as impressive as Azulmarino ORC C. World Champions, European Champions and winners of the season's leading national and international regattas will go head-to-head in the Bay of Palma in what promises to be one of the closest and most unpredictable title battles of the event.
Among the leading contenders are the reigning ORC World Champion, Italy's Robe da Mat; the reigning European Champion and defending Copa del Rey Mapfre champion, Spain's Project Work, owned by Antonio Porrés; the European runner-up, Germany's Early Bird, owned by Hendrik Brandis; the Sandberg PalmaVela winner, Hyatt Hydra Youth, owned by Catalan sailor Óscar Chaves; and the winner of the SM La Reina Trophy, Falapouco, owned by Alicante's Andrés Manresa.
With a fleet of 23 teams from seven nations, the Bay of Palma will host one of the most evenly matched classes of the regatta from August 1 to 8. The sporting appeal lies not only in the quality of the crews but also in the technical diversity of the fleet. Cape 31s, MAT 11s, Melges 32s, Dufour 40 DKs and the Judel & Vrolijk design that will defend the title all represent very different design concepts, each proven capable of winning at the highest level.
Manu Fraga, General Manager of Real Club Náutico de Palma, commented: "Azulmarino ORC C is probably the class that best reflects the exceptional sporting level of this 44 Copa del Rey Mapfre. It brings together the reigning World Champion, the reigning European Champion, the European runner-up and the winners of the season's major regattas, guaranteeing an incredibly close contest."
Fraga added: "What makes the class especially interesting is the diversity of the projects involved. These yachts represent very different technical concepts, yet they have all demonstrated their ability to win at the highest level. That diversity makes every race a real challenge and makes it extremely difficult to identify a clear favourite. I'm convinced it will be one of the most exciting classes to follow throughout the week."
European Champion Defends the Title Against the World Champion
Project Work, designed by the renowned German naval architecture studio Judel & Vrolijk, returns to defend the title it claimed at last year's Copa del Rey Mapfre. The 37-foot yacht from Real Club Marítimo de Santander, owned by Antonio Porrés, will face the reigning World Champion, Italy's Robe da Mat, owned by Luigi Buzzi, whose MAT 11 dominated this year's ORC World Championship in Sorrento, Italy.
Another fascinating match-up will see Germany's Early Bird take on Spain's Hyatt Hydra Youth. Although the two projects are based on very different design concepts, they have delivered remarkably similar performances. Early Bird races a Cape 31, a design that has established itself as one of the most competitive internationally after finishing runner-up at both the 2025 Copa del Rey Mapfre and the 2026 ORC World Championship. Earlier this season, a Cape 31 also claimed overall victory at the Conde de Godó Trophy in Barcelona with an Italian crew.
Its rival, Hyatt Hydra Youth, is a Melges 32 arriving in Palma after an outstanding season that included third place at the Conde de Godó Trophy and victory at Sandberg PalmaVela, sailed on the very same racecourse that will host the 44 Copa del Rey Mapfre.
Diego Fructuoso, tactician aboard Project Work, believes this year's edition will raise the competitive standard even further: "Last year, with the European Championship title at stake, we already felt the level was exceptionally high. But this year it has gone up another level. The Cape 31s have joined the fleet, Hyatt Hydra Youth arrives after winning PalmaVela, and the new MAT 11 Robe da Mat comes as the reigning World Champion. If the bar was already incredibly high in 2025, the competition will be even stronger this year."
Falapouco Targets Another Copa del Rey Mapfre Title
Another serious title contender is Falapouco, a Dufour 40 DK owned by Andrés Manresa. The Alicante-based team arrives in Palma after winning the recent SM La Reina Trophy and having already lifted the Copa del Rey Mapfre trophy at the 42nd edition in 2024.
Óscar Chaves, owner of Hyatt Hydra Youth, explained: "This season we've entrusted the sporting management of the project to Ramón Aixemeno. After finishing on the podium at the Conde de Godó Trophy and winning Sandberg PalmaVela, we've strengthened the crew with American sailors from the 49er class and equipped the boat with a new set of sails. We arrive in Palma determined to go head-to-head with the Cape 31s, which are extremely difficult boats for a Melges 32 to beat."
Chaves added: "We're also committed to developing young talent. We'll field a very young team with enormous potential and great enthusiasm to compete at the highest level at the Copa del Rey Mapfre."
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