39th edition of Copa del Rey MAPFRE - New class, ClubSwan 36

It will form one of the five classes that will compete in real time in the 39th edition of the Spanish regatta, to be held on the Bay of Palma from the 1st to the 8th of August 2020.

The 39 Copa del Rey MAPFRE will incorporate a new class that will compete in real time –that means the first boat that crosses de finish line wins. For the first time the new ClubSwan 36 class will compete at the showcase summer regatta and is estimated that around 14 teams will race in the new class. That means there will be a total of five one design classes sailing in real time in this 39th edition: ClubSwan 50, ClubSwan42, ClubSwan 36, J70 and the Women’s Cup.

Launched in May 2019, ClubSwan 36 is one of the latest one-design boats of the Nautor’s Swan marque and has been designed by the renowned Argentinian designer Juan Kouyoumdjian.

"It is a class that I like very much," says Juan K. "It is a design into which we put a lot of effort because we had to push several boundaries and so there are things we have invented, they did not exist in other boats."

The ClubSwan 36 is all carbon, follows modern lines and is tremendously light. It has a maximum crew of six people and adheres to an owner/driver rule, that is, the owner of the boat is also the helmsman.

In addition, one of its main characteristics is that it has a single 'foil' that can be used or not, as Juan K explains: “The general concept is to have a curved 'foil' that is used while sailing upwind, reaching and downwind with strong winds. If sailing downwind with medium to light winds, the foil is used paradoxically not using it; the fact of being able to get it out of the water is to use it correctly.”

Manu Fraga, director of the Copa del Rey MAPFRE, is very happy with this new incorporation and highlights that the regatta “always bet on innovation and there is no doubt that ClubSwan 36 is a modern and innovative design. I am sure that we will see a very competitive fleet on the Bay of Palma and it will give much game."

“Palma de Mallorca and the Real Club Náutico de Palma represent a lot for us at Nautor’s, that’s why we chose to have the debut of ClubSwan 36 class here, last October during The Nations Trophy. Having the class racing in these waters and being treated like the guest of honor at one of the best regattas in the world, makes us very proud,” says Enrico Chieffi, Nautor’s Group Vice President. “ClubSwan 36 is changing the rules in the One Design competition, with a fun and a super innovative approach. Watching her racing during Copa del Rey will be very interesting and will raise the bar in terms of competitiveness.”
 
As for the rest of the classes, the first race is scheduled for Monday, the 3rd of August at 13h00 local time. From there on and until Saturday the 8th of August, a maximum of 11 W/L races are scheduled.

The 39 Copa del Rey MAPFRE is organised by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Real Federación Española de Vela (Spanish Sailing Federation), and is sponsored by MAPFRE with institutional collaboration from the Govern de les Illes Balears (Balearic Islands Government), the Ayuntamiento de Palma (Palma Town Hall), the Autoritat Portuaria de Balears (Baleares Port Authority), and the Federación Balear de Vela (Balearic Islands Sailing Federation).