- The team, characterised by the continuity and local nature of its members, will fight for a place on the podium.
- Red Eléctrica strengthens its commitment to the Copa del Rey de Vela (King’s Cup sailing competition) and sponsors the 'Enlace' ('Link') trophies which will be fought for at the midpoint of the competition.
Red Eléctrica de España has renewed in 2014 its support for top competitive sailing and for the Copa del Rey sailing competition, the most important race of all those held in the Mediterranean. The Company will participate in the 33rd edition of the Cup, to be held from 2 to 9 August in waters of the Bay of Palma, by sponsoring, for the fifth consecutive year, the X-35 single hull sailing yacht that bears its name.
The commitment of Red Eléctrica towards this competition and its level of involvement with the organisation of the Copa del Rey sailing competition is strengthened in this edition with a new sponsorship, that of the 'Enlace' trophies that, at the midpoint of the regatta, will be given to the crews of each class who at that time are leading the standings.
In the 33rd edition of the Copa del Rey de Vela, the ‘Red Eléctrica’ will have a practically identical crew to that of the previous year. Skippered by Javier Sanz, its members have extensive experience in sailing competitions. In turn, the close relationship of the crew with the Islands and the Royal Sailing Club (RCN) of Palma means that one of the hallmarks of the team is its local nature. The continuity of the crew and its affinity with sailing associated with the Islands are defining features of the ‘Red Eléctrica’.
This team will face a "highly important" challenge. The ‘Red Eléctrica’ will seek to improve the fourth position in the X-35 class that it achieved in the 2013 competition and, in turn, the result obtained in the 2012 edition in which it was on the podium after finishing third in its class.
'Enlace' Trophy
In this edition, Red Eléctrica de España increases its involvement in the sporting competition and in the organisation of the Copa del Rey. The Company will sponsor the ‘Enlace’ Trophy that will be awarded to the crews of each class who, at the midpoint of the competition, are leading the standings. The trophies will be presented by the Organising Committee of the Copa del Rey and representatives of Red Eléctrica de España on Wednesday, 6 August.
The trophy design represents the combination of sailing and the sea and has been called 'Enlace' ('Link') in reference to the union of both elements and, as the winners will be determined at the midpoint of each class of the scheduled competitions, to its linking nature between the two parts of the competition. Also, the name of the trophy refers to the activity of the Company in the Balearic Islands, the deployment of the submarine electricity link between Majorca and the Spanish Peninsula, an infrastructure of great importance to the island's electricity system in operation since 2012, and to the electricity interconnection projects that will be developed over the next few years between Majorca and Ibiza and between Ibiza and Formentera.
The yacht
The ‘Red Eléctrica’ is a one-design X-35 racing yacht designed by German engineer Niels Jeppesen and whose most notable features are its maneuverability, competitiveness and speed, especially leeward. 10.61 metres long, 3.27m wide and 2.15m keel length, has a displacement of 4,300 kilogrammes and has four sails with an area of 211.6 m2. The sails are: Mainsail (40.1), Genoa 108% (33.9), Furling Genoa 105% (31.9), and Spinnaker-All purpose (105.7).
X-35 Class
The ‘Red Eléctrica’ yacht participates in the one-design X-35 class, which this year has twelve competitors. This is a particularly competitive and attractive class, as the race is settled between boats with identical characteristics and in real-time, conditions that determine the special competitiveness and appeal of the regatta. The Red Eléctrica will face, therefore, eleven other high-level international competitors, amongst them yachts representing the Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, British and Finnish flags.
The crew
The skipper of the ‘Red Eléctrica’ will be Javier Sanz, President of the Royal Sailing Club (RCN) of Palma and President of the Organising Committee of the King’s Cup. Sanz has been sailing for almost three decades in all types of classes, J-80, Platu 25 and X-35.
The crew is made up of eight people and, as in previous years, has sailors with excellent sports careers such as David Madrazo, Rodrigo Sanz and Juan Galmés. The first two were part of crews that have won the King’s Cup in other classes in previous editions.
In addition to Javier Sanz (skipper and helmsman), David Madrazo (tactician), Rodrigo Sanz (bowman) and John Galmés (trimmer), the crew will consist of Alberto Viejo (pitman), Carlos Martinez (trimmer), Javier Sanz Junior (maintrimmer) and Eduardo Garcia (mastman).
The continuity, rapport and team cohesion are advantages that the ‘Red Eléctrica’ will have in play in their bid for the podium, as many of its members have now been involved in five consecutive races.
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