King Felipe VI concluded the 44th MAPFRE King's Cup Sailing Regatta on Saturday, finishing as runner-up in the ORC 0 class aboard Hispania. The Spanish monarch presided over the awards ceremony shortly after returning to Palma from South America.
Dressed in the blue polo shirt of the Hispania crew, the King presented the trophies during an event held for the second consecutive year in the Patio de Armas of the Royal Palace of La Almudaina. When his own team was called, the King handed the runner-up trophy to Admiral Jaime Rodríguez Toubes, his mentor since his earliest regattas, before both men held the award together to applause from attendees.
The King also handed the ORC 0 championship trophy to Mauro Gestri, owner of the Italian boat Vudú, which claimed first place in the category ahead of the Spanish Navy vessel.
Class Winners and Historical Titles
In addition to Vudú in ORC 0, victory went to Nola in ORC A, Teatro Soho San Miguel in ORC B, Niramo in ORC C, Nadir in ClubSwan 42, and Balearia Team in the Women's Cup. The win marked a historic ninth King's Cup victory for owner Javier Banderas aboard Teatro Soho San Miguel. Pedro Vaquer secured a third title in the ClubSwan 42 one-design class with Nadir, while María Bover led Team Baleària to a fourth title in the women's division.
The awards presentation was attended by regional leaders including Balearic Islands President Marga Prohens, Parliament President Gabriel Le Senne, and Palma Mayor Jaime Martínez, alongside other official authorities.
Travel to Colombia and Competition Schedule
The King was unable to compete in the final two days of racing because he flew to Cali on Thursday night to attend the inauguration of the new president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella. He returned to Palma on Saturday afternoon in time to host the closing ceremony.
Before his departure, the King skippered Hispania on Tuesday the 8th, Wednesday the 9th, and Thursday. Hispania is operated by the Naval Regatta Commission of the Spanish Navy and previously won the Conde de Godó Trophy in Barcelona.
Future Regatta and Royal Itinerary
Following the presentation, the King gathered for a group photograph with representatives from each of the winning vessels. Around 100 teams representing ten countries competed in this year's regatta, with organizers setting the 45th edition of the King's Cup to begin on July 31, 2027.
The closing ceremony concluded the scheduled official activities for the royal family in Palma. The King had arrived in Palma on July 29 from Peru, where he attended the swearing-in ceremony of President Keiko Fujimori.
