Niramo wins Cape 31 class at 44th Copa del Rey MAPFRE in Palma
by Tor Tomlinson Cheney 10 Aug 08:14 PDT
Cape 31 class at 44th Copa del Rey MAPFRE in Palma © María Muiña / Copa del Rey MAPFRE
The Cape 31 has added another major result to its growing list of successes, with Sönke Meier-Sawatzki's Niramo claiming victory in Azulmarino ORC C at the 44th Copa del Rey MAPFRE in Palma.
Five Cape 31s lined up among the highly competitive 21-boat ORC C fleet - Niramo, Earlybird, Django, Firstings and Meerblick - and the boats proved once again just how competitive the Cape 31 can be under handicap racing as well as in its established one-design fleets.
Niramo set the tone from the opening day, winning the first race and following it with a second to take the early lead. What followed was a close battle throughout the week, with fellow Cape 31 Earlybird, owned by Hendrik Brandis, pushing Niramo all the way to the final race.
After eight races, Niramo secured the Copa del Rey title by just 1.75 points over Earlybird, completing a fantastic Cape 31 one-two at one of the Mediterranean's most prestigious regattas.
It was an impressive campaign from Sönke and his team, which included one of the sport's most experienced sailors, Bouwe Bekking, alongside Australian match racer Torvar Mirsky.
For Meier-Sawatzki, the victory was particularly special after a decade of competing at Copa del Rey and previously coming close to the top step of the podium.
"For me this is the biggest win ever at the most important event," said the Kiel owner-helm. "We already won Kiel Week, my home regatta, and now this. But this is so important for us. I think this is my tenth time at Copa del Rey and we have had a second and a third, so we are so happy.
"I love this boat. It is more intensive than the ClubSwan 50, which I still have, and this Cape 31 maybe makes you sharper. Torvar and Bouwe are a great team together."
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That enthusiasm was backed up by the results across the fleet. While the Cape 31 was designed first and foremost to deliver fast, close one-design racing, Copa del Rey provided another impressive demonstration of just how competitive the boat can be under handicap.
With five Cape 31s competing in the 21-boat ORC C division, four finished inside the top six, including the Cape 31 one-two with Niramo and Earlybird. Meerblick also secured the Corinthian victory, making it an outstanding week for the class in Palma.
The result follows a growing number of strong performances for Cape 31 teams at major mixed-fleet events and highlights one of the attractions of the boat for owners: the opportunity to enjoy highly competitive one-design racing while also taking on some of the world's biggest regattas under handicap.
For the Cape 31 Class, seeing five boats competing at Copa del Rey - and performing so strongly - is an exciting indication of what could come next.
With an increasingly strong fleet racing across the Mediterranean, we would love to see the Cape 31 become a regular fixture at Copa del Rey in future, with the ambition of bringing a full one-design fleet to Palma and potentially incorporating the event into the Cape 31 Mediterranean circuit.
Congratulations to Niramo, Earlybird, Django, Firstings and Meerblick on a fantastic week representing the class - and especially to Sönke and the Niramo team on becoming 2026 Copa del Rey MAPFRE champions.
www.cape31class.com