Fifty boats from 13 countries will be taking part in the event organised by the Club Marítimo de Mahón. The regatta was presented today with the attendance of the president of the Consell de Menorca. Tomorrow the show begins.

The Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Epoca brings together the best fleet of classics in the Mediterranean in Menorca from today. The regatta organised by the Club Marítimo de Mahón with the support of Repsol and the institutional collaboration of the Mahón Town Council and the Consell Insular de Menorca is bringing together more than fifty boats for its nineteenth edition, confirming its position as the benchmark event for classic sailing in Spain and one of the most important on the European circuit.

The official presentation of the event took place this afternoon on the terraces of the Club Marítimo de Mahón in the presence of the organisation's president, Antonio Hernández, and the president of the Consell Insular de Menorca, Adolfo Vilafranca. Both agreed that the Copa del Rey Repsol de Barcos de Epoca places Menorca and the city of Mahón "at the centre of nautical sport in Spain" and highlighted its promotional importance for quality tourism.

"For 19 editions of the Copa del Rey de Barcos de Epoca is an important milestone and is part of the tourism policy objectives that we want to promote from the Consell de Menorca, and therefore we express our full support for this event and any other that the Club Marítimo wants to do in relation to sailing," said Adolfo Vilafranca, who congratulated the Mahonese entity and its board for their work in promoting the sport and promoting great regattas.

Antonio Hernández, for his part, emphasised the expansive effect that the Repsol King's Cup has on Menorca's economy: "Between direct and indirect impact we have around eight million euros; this figure comes from the sum of the repercussion in the media and social networks, and in sectors such as transport, hotels, hotels and commerce". 

Our regatta," he added, "is the regatta that brings together the most classic boats and we are the third in the Mediterranean after Monaco and Cannes.

The Copa del Rey de Barcos de Epoca will be held in the waters of Menorca from tomorrow, 30th August, until 2nd September. For the first time in history, it will consist of four days of competition, one more than in previous editions. This change is due to the express wish of the owners of the participating boats, who found the stay in Mahón "too short", according to Nacho Marra, director of the Club Marítimo and the Copa del Rey Repsol.

"We have to feel very proud that once again we exceeded 50 boats, something that is not easy in this type of regatta. We have to appreciate the effort involved in maintaining these boats, which come to Menorca from many places not only in the Mediterranean, but also from the American continent and the British Isles".

The figures for the XIX Copa del Rey Repsol, pending confirmation of entries today, point to a spectacular edition: 51 boats representing 13 countries (Uruguay, Belgium, Poland, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Malta, Germany, United States, France, Italy and Spain).

The sailing yachts Viveka (1929), Spartan (1913), Varuna (1939), Argos (1964) and Calima (1970) will defend the title won in the 2022 edition. Other notable units are Hallowe'en (1926), Grayling (1900), Mariska (1908), Fjord III (1947), Manitou (1937), Barbara (1923) and Galvana (1974).

The Copa del Rey forms part, for the second year, of The Mediterranean Champions Cup circuit together with Les Régates Royales, Vele d'Epoca di Imperia, Argentario Sailing Week and Les Voiles d'Antibes. It is also a qualifying race for the Mare Nostrum Trophy.

The fleet is divided into five categories, in accordance with the rules of the International Mediterranean Committee. Boats built before 1950 are considered vintage and are grouped in the Cangreja (trapezoidal) or Bermudiano (triangular) classes. From that date until the end of the 1970s, boats are grouped in the Classic division. The Spirit of Tradition and the Big Boats, large sailing boats, complete the fleet.