Red Eléctrica de España will again back top competitive sailing in the most important race of all those competing in the Mediterranean and will participate in the 32nd edition of the King?s Cup (Copa del Rey), to be held from 29 July to 3 August. The Company will sponsor, for the fourth consecutive year, the X-35 single hull sailing yacht that bears its name.
The "Red Eléctrica" will again count on a very experienced crew and, again, will incorporate as its hallmark the local nature of the same and the close relationship of the crew members with the Royal Sailing Club (RCN) of Palma.
In this edition, the team will face a "highly important" challenge, as the crew headed by Javier Sanz, skipper of "Red Eléctrica", President of the Royal Sailing Club (RCN) of Palma and the Organising Committee of the King?s Cup, stood on the podium for the first time in its three year history in the 2012 edition, thanks to the third position obtained. This time, the goal is also particularly ambitious as the X-35 class competition of the 32nd King?s Cup is also the European Championship of the class.
Red Eléctrica de España, system operator and transmission agent of the national electricity system present in the Balearic Islands since 2004, increases in this new edition of the King?s Cup their involvement in the competition. Apart from the support for the X-35 single hull sailing yacht, it also sponsors the trophies that will be awarded to the top three of its class in the European Championship. Thus, the Company strengthens its support for a long-standing competition which has managed to increase, year after year, its widely acknowledged prestige.
The yacht
The "Red Eléctrica" is a one-design X-35 (sailing 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, a particularly competitive and attractive class, as the competition is settled between boats with identical characteristics and in real-time.
In this edition, the "Red Eléctrica" will face great international competitors, amongst them representatives with the Spanish, Italian, Russian, Dutch and British flag. The international nature and track record of the participants make this fleet one of the most attractive of the Copa del Rey.
The crew
The skipper of "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 over 25 years in all types of classes, J-80, Platu 25 and X-35.
The crew of "Red Eléctrica", made up of eight people, has, as in last year's edition, sailors such as David Madrazo, Rodrigo Sanz and Juan Galmés, with brilliant sporting backgrounds. The first two have been part of crews that won the King?s Cup in other classes in previous editions.
In any case, Sanz has indicated the difficulties and the calibre of the challenge they face: "This race will be very competitive. Amongst the competitors are all that have won the King?s Cup in previous editions. The best will be present and the European Championship is at stake. In any case, we will try to improve and we will give it our best. Our team is very compact, and we are excited and eager to win".
In addition to Javier Sanz (skipper and helmsman), David Madrazo (tactician), Rodrigo Sanz (bowman) and John Galmés (trimmer), the crew of Red Eléctrica will consist of Ignacio Camino (pitman), Carlos Martinez (trimmer), Alberto Viejo (maintrimmer) and Eduardo Garcia (mastman).