Today, Mallorcan Dani Capa was proclaimed champion of the 74 ABANCA Ciutat de Palma, a competition that brought together for four days 365 sailors from 28 countries in the facilities of the Real Club Náutico de Palma. The sailor from Club Nàutic S’Estanyol … asserted itself with authority after four days during which the Bay of Palma offered all kinds of conditions.
The trophy started with strong winds, with Mistral gusts of 30 knots recorded on the second day. The weather on the third day was typical for the Bay of Palma, with an average southwesterly wind. The regatta route began today covered by thick fog which prevented visibility. The situation was absolutely calm, with the anemometers on the organization’s ships literally shut down. Hours passed and, when it looked like it would not be possible to compete, the Regatta Committee decided to launch the Gold Group fleet for one final run, as conditions were improving.
The departure took place around 2:45 p.m. with a west wind of 7 knots. This light breeze gave the opportunity to the lighter sailors and the victory went to Jan Palou, from Real Náutico de Palma, winner of last year’s edition, who, with this result, was able to move up to seventh place in the general classification. Dani Capa and Izan Rogel, who were fighting for the overall victory, finished in the middle of the fleet and the result of this last race is uncertain.
The final regatta did not change the configuration of the podium: Dani Capa, who added a total of 13 points, won thanks to his consistency throughout the trophy, adding four partial victories. Second place went to Izan Rogel, from Real Club Náutico de Torrevieja, who finished with 18 points and won the under-13 category, while Slovenian Mihael Zobec (JK Olimpic), current world vice-champion, completed the podium with 25 points.
The athlete from S’Estanyol, who won silver in 2024, competed at a very high level, leading the general classification since the first event, a privileged position that he did not relinquish throughout the championship. Capa managed to get rid of last year’s thorn and lift the iconic silver caravel, the trophy that accredits him as winner of the 74 ABANCA Ciutat de Palma, the oldest competition on the Balearic calendar.
The winner explained that his strategy was very clear: “My rival only had one chance, but he had to win the regatta, so initially I chased him to control him; I also saw that one of his teammates was standing next to me, checking on me. Once Capa confirmed that Rogel had no options to beat him, he was able to relax and enjoy a victory he already knew was certain.
With ABANCA Ciutat de Palma in his possession, Dani Capa will face his last season in the Optimist class in 2026. The Mallorcan indicated that his goal is to be among the best sailors in the national events to be able to participate in the World Championship, which will be held in Tangier (Morocco) at the end of next June.
María Antonia Peñalver, from Club Náutico Mar Menor, finished in ninth place overall and won the women’s category, followed by Valentina Belso, from Real Club Náutico Torrevieja, and Raquel Sanchís, from Real Club Náutico Valencia, who finished third.
The Murcian athlete, happy to have won her women’s champion medal, highlighted the importance of getting off to a good start in this type of regatta with such a large fleet. Peñalver, who was participating for the fourth time in the ABANCA Ciutat de Palma, highlighted that today was a very complicated day “with little wind and rolling, so it was very difficult to read the course.”
Manu Fraga, director of RCN Palma, gave a “very positive” evaluation of 74 ABANCA Ciutat de Palma. “We have built up a large international fleet. This regatta, although aimed at basic sailing, is a high-level competition in which the youngest have the opportunity to share the event and the regatta field with some of the best specialists in the world, which is undoubtedly a privilege for them. The head of the organization is convinced that the RCNP has found the ideal format and that, looking to the future, “we must continue working in the same direction, integrating improvements and services.” He also thanked ABANCA for joining the club team. “Having a good sponsor allows us to carry out innovations, such as live broadcasting of the regatta via social networks and monitoring via the trac-trac satellite system.”
The awards ceremony, which took place at 6:00 p.m., was chaired by the Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, who, during the presentation of the event, the second day last in the plenary hall of the City Hall, invited the club to celebrate in style the 75th anniversary of the regatta, which he described as a heritage of the city.
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