Monarch King Felipe VI accompanies Princess Leonor to the Palma Yacht Club.
The 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE sailing competition, held in Palma from July 26 to August 2, 2025, set a new record for female participation in the sport. Over 200 women sailors from 29 countries competed in the event, which included the Balearia Women’s Cup and the ORC European Championship categories[1][2][3].
The competition emphasized gender equality, featuring all-female teams and women integrated into mixed crews. The youngest competitor was 7-year-old Julie-Jet De Ridder from the Netherlands, while the oldest was 68-year-old Petra Sieber from Switzerland[1][2][3].
One of the most notable Spanish female sailors participating was Esther Gómez Díaz de la Cortina, who skippered a boat from the Spanish Navy in the Balearia Women’s Cup, backed by the High Military Sports Council[1][2].
The sailing competition saw direct participation from more than 1,700 sailors, including the crew of the 'Aifos', composed entirely of sailors from the Navy. Princess Leonor and her father, the King, visited the Real Club Náutico de Vela de Palma (RCNP) on Saturday and greeted the female crews participating in the competition in Palma Bay[6][7].
Princess Leonor also visited another crew of the Navy's sailboats competing in Palma Bay[8]. The King himself was competing in the ORC 0 class, which includes the largest boats in the fleet, and was in sixth position in the final race of the competition[4][5].
The awards ceremony will take place this Saturday evening, where the monarch will preside over an edition that has exceeded 130 teams from 24 countries[9]. This historic sailing competition not only showcased the talent and dedication of female sailors but also highlighted the growing importance of gender equality in competitive sailing.
[1] https://www.sailingworld.com/news/2025/08/01/record-number-of-women-sailors-compete-in-copa-del-rey-mapfre [2] https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/253937/Copa-del-Rey-MAPFRE-2025-record-number-of-women-sailors [3] https://www.sail-world.com/news/253940/Record-number-of-women-sailors-compete-in-Copa-del-Rey-MAPFRE-ORC-European-Championship [4] https://www.sail-world.com/news/253928/The-King-of-Spain-is-competing-in-the-ORC-0-class-of-the-Copa-del-Rey-MAPFRE [5] https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/253929/The-King-of-Spain-is-competing-in-the-ORC-0-class-of-the-Copa-del-Rey-MAPFRE [6] https://www.sail-world.com/news/253938/Princess-Leonor-greets-female-crews-in-Palma-Bay [7] https://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/253939/Princess-Leonor-greets-female-crews-in-Palma-Bay [8] https://www.sail-world.com/news/253941/Princess-Leonor-visits-another-crew-of-the-Navy-sailboats-competing-in-Palma-Bay [9] https://www.sail-world.com/news/253930/The-King-of-Spain-and-Princess-Leonor-visit-the-RCNP-on-Saturday
Average performance in football during the weekend varied significantly among teams, with some recording resounding victories, while others struggled to keep pace. Remarkably, a few mixed crew sailing teams excelled in the Copa del Rey MAPFRE sailing competition, demonstrating that a mix of genders can yield excellent results in sports.
