Rei In Jaume regatta 2017.

Wednesday 23rd August 2017

The XXXI Regatta Rei en Jaume will cover the Salou-Santa Ponça route on 8th September

This competition, organized since 1986 by the Club Náutico Santa Ponça, the CN Salou, and which has the collaboration of Port Adriano, Port Tarraco and the municipalities of Calvià and the Catalan municipality, has become one of the few deep-sea competitions that are maintained on the national calendar

The Mayor of Calvia, Alfonso Rodríguez, stressed this morning at the presentation of the Regata Rei in Jaume that "this competition that reflects a historical fact brings together sport, tradition and culture" and that it is "our duty to continue collaborating with The Santa Ponça and Salou clubs so that with their initiative and perseverance they continue this regatta".
The director of Tourism Promotion of the Salou Town Hall, Benet Presas, also at the meeting said that "giving continuity to a race for 31 years is not easy and therefore, the municipalities must support the clubs," while remembering that the fleet of the King Jaume "departed from Salou as it was the most southern port of Catalonia".
In this XXXI edition, which will involve 15-20 boats, "the fleet will be formed by boats with measurement certificate ORC, RI, RI verified and RI with reduced crew. Classifications will be established by classes and groups, and maybe also a ranking by clubs represented by teams composed of a boat of less than 50 feet and another one of more than 50", according to the manager of the Club Naútico Santa Ponça, Ricardo Ferrer.
The participating vessels will cover the 110-mile-long route that separates the towns of Salou and Santa Ponça by recreating the itinerary that in 1229 led Jaime I to the island of Pantaleu first to then reach the Mallorcan coast and begin the conquest.
To commemorate the event, the scoring event for the Spanish Deep-sea Mediterranean Zone Championship offers the possibility to participate as accompanying in the mode of "conserva" navigation to boats, ship owners and crews who do not wish to do it so as racers, being able to participate and enjoy all the planned social events surrounding the race.

The development of the regatta can also be followed live through the website of the Club Nautico de Santa Ponça, www.cnsp.es, thanks to the navigation system that provides GPS devices to all participating boats so they issue a constant signal during the entire journey, thus ensuring greater safety during the journey.
In the turn of speech, the Vice President of the Club Naútico Santa Ponça, Gabriel Payeras, thanked the institutions for their support as well as the boat owners and sailors for participating year after year in one of the few deep-sea races that survive.
Josep Oliva, who is responsible for sailing at the Club Náutico Salou, highlighted the sport, social and cultural aspect of the regatta, as well as relying on the success of this edition.
The presentation was also attended by the deputy mayor of Social Cohesion and Equality and councilwoman for Santa Ponça, Nati Francés; The Deputy Mayor for Sports, Eva Serra, and the PR director of Port Adriano, Paloma Lemm, amongst others.
Social and sports programme
The sporting programme of the regatta will start on Thursday, 7th September, with the captains meeting and the welcome dinner to the participants in the CN of Salou. On Friday, 8th September, the participating boats will meet up in the bay of the Catalan town, from where they are expected to leave at 10 o'clock. The fleet will sail all day and night until reaching the island of Dragonera where the official line of arrival has been marked, also remembering the historical moment in which the fleet of Jaime I landed in the Pantaleu island before the final assault to Mallorca. The participating boats will have free mooring in the clubs and marinas that promote the organization of the event.
The trophy ceremony will take place on Saturday night, 9th September, during the farewell dinner that will be given to participants at the CN Santa Ponça. "The first classified of each group and class will be distinguished, and a special prize for the boat that can beat the record of the crossing that is held since last year by Gymir (RCN Barcelona), owned by Manuel Codina, who achieved a time of 18 hours and 10 minutes", recalled Ricardo Ferrer.