ORC European Championships: Big fields at the European Championship summit in Palma

Palma called and the ORC crews answered: 117 boats from 24 nations registered for the ORC European Championship in Spain. This means that the hosts have more than doubled the number of participants from last year in the picturesque town of Mariehamn (56 boats) on the Åland Islands. Around a third of the four fields in ORC 0, ORC A, ORC B and ORC C will be sailing under the Spanish flag in the Bay of Palma. 13 boats will start the series with German sail numbers.

ORC-EM with "Olymp", "Niramo" and "Halbtrocken 4.5"

The challengers open the ORC European Championship week this Monday with final practice races before the first starting shots are fired on Tuesday. Well-known German owners and boats are taking part. In ORC 0 (17 boats), Mark Bezner and Sönke Meier-Sawatzki will start the series with their ClubSwan 50 racing machines "Olymp" and "Niramo".

Michael Berghorn from Hamburg is leading his Mills 45 "Semi-dry 4.5" into the race. Here is an overview of the large ORC-EM class zero. One of the favourites in ORC 0 (17 boats) is the French "Spirit of Malouen XI" of Stephane Ney, among an impressive eleven TP52 yachts. Some of the crew are coming to Palma as runners-up in the world championship. They had just won second place at the TP52 World Championship in Cascais on "Paprec".

The TPs will be joined by three ClubSwan 50s, two 46-foot boats and a 45-foot yacht. This creates an interesting arc of tension in ORC 0: While the potent TPs are likely to dominate the field after the starts, the others will rely on their handicap factors and try to seek - and exploit - their opportunities behind the "TP wall".

Four GER yachts in Group A

With Johannes Wackerhagen's Knierim 49 "Desna", the class sister "Caro" with skipper Tim Ross, Jan Opländer's Swan 45 "Katima" and Christian Plump's Palma-based ClubSwan 42 "Elena Nova", four German boats are in the race. ORC A (34 boats) active. The A division is the most international of all four groups at the ORC European Championship. From 29 to 2 August, the field will compete in up to eight races.

In ORC B (34 boats), Pit Finis' crew on the First 44 "Alegria" is the only boat representing black, red and gold. Even five GER boats are starting in ORC C (32 participants). Among them are Club Swan 50 world champion Hendrik Brandis ("Earlybird") and Gabriele and Otto Pohlmann ("Meerblick"), each with a fast Cape 31. Jens Lichtblau will start with his crew on the C&C 30 OD "Cleyne Keyser", Lothar Fichter and team with the LA 28 "La Luna". They will be joined by Bastian Majewski's First 34.7 "Likedeeler". The ORC-C messages at a glance.

The ORC European Championship organisers of the Copa del Rey also point to another success of their popular regatta: female sailors from 29 countries are taking part in the Balearia Women's Cup and the ORC European Championship. The age of the participants ranges from seven to 68 years. Julie-Jet de Ridder, who will be eight years old on 16 October 2025, will be part of the crew on the Class B "Checkmate" at the ORC European Championship.

Copa del Rey with record women's participation

A total of 130 crews with a record participation of more than 200 female sailors are taking part in this summer's ORC European Championship and the parallel Balearia Women's Cup with its 14 boats under the Copa del Rey umbrella.

When ORC President Bruno Finzi presented the ORC European Championship in Palma 2025 a year ago, he had some messages about the ORC European Championship being the Copa del Rey Mapfre this year. Finizi also said at the time that it would be a good opportunity for the Spanish hosts to show the strength of their ORC fleet. The Iberians are now competing in the European Championship with 40 boats. The week will show who actually sails onto the ORC podium in the four European Championship classes: