More than 300 guests attended the inaugural event of the 44th edition of the regatta at the iconic luxury hotel in Mallorca, which opened its doors to the sailing community.
The Copa del Rey Mapfre officially began with the celebration of the traditional Armadores Cocktail, which this year took place at the Hotel de Mar, Gran Meliá. The event, considered the starting signal for the regatta, gathered over 300 guests on the hotel terrace, overlooking the Mediterranean.
Among the attendees were owners, sponsors, and institutional representatives such as the president of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, Joaquín González-Devesa; the Minister of Business, Self-Employment and Energy, Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro García, and the Admiral of the Navy, Jaime Rodríguez-Toubes. Also present were personalities from the social, business, and sports world, including actor Javier Rey, model Eugenia Silva, Olympic medalist Eli Pinedo, designer Fiona Ferrer, flamenco dancer Joaquín Cortés, actress Ana Fernández, model Antonio Medugno, influencers Emily Costa and Gloria Montserrat, and models Sara Botton, Malena Costa, and former footballer Mario Suárez.
The Hotel de Mar, Gran Meliá, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World collection, opened its sea-facing terrace to welcome guests. Surrounded by gardens suspended over the Mediterranean and its spectacular Sky Pool, the hotel provided a privileged setting to inaugurate the 44th edition of the competition.
Rafael Gil, president of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, and Gabriel Escarrer, president and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, welcomed the attendees and highlighted the importance of the regatta for the international projection of Mallorca.
“When two entities that share these principles sail together, they not only generate value for themselves but also for Mallorca and for society as a whole,” said Gil.
For his part, Escarrer emphasized that “for more than four decades, the Hotel de Mar Gran Meliá has been a privileged witness to the successive editions of the Copa del Rey, observing from the front line how this competition has contributed to projecting Palma, Mallorca, and our Mediterranean around the world.”
Minister Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro García also dedicated a few words to signal the start, highlighting that Meliá and the Copa del Rey Mapfre have represented Mallorca worldwide for decades.
The evening featured a gastronomic proposal inspired by Mediterranean flavours, accompanied by live music. For Meliá Hotels International, this collaboration reinforces its commitment to supporting events that project Mallorca's image as a destination of excellence and consolidates the Hotel de Mar as a venue for the island's most exclusive gatherings.
The Copa del Rey Mapfre continues to be one of the major sporting and social events in the Mediterranean, attracting participants and visitors from around the world each year. The competitions in the bay of Palma will continue over the coming days.
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