The BMW Sail Racing Academy team, under the guidance of Roberto Ferrarese – the head of the BMW-initiated sailing school for ambitious amateur yachtsmen and women – won the fiercely-competitive ORC 1 class in what was the closest competition at this year’s “Copa del Rey”. The trophy was presented by King Felipe of Spain.
The BMW Sail Racing Academy team narrowly defeated its strongest opponents “Earlybird”.
The crew, with match race specialist Simone Ferrarese at the helm, was embroiled in a thrilling competition, which went right down to the wire. In the end, a fourth place and a win on the sixth and final day of the competition proved sufficient to clinch overall victory.
The Copa del Rey was preceded by the three-day training course at the BMW Sail Racing Academy. The academy’s goal is to provide a professional programme of coaching for advanced yachtsmen and women, whilst at the same time offering them the unique opportunity to take part in a high-class regatta like the Copa del Rey. This was a dream come true for five participants. They formed a successful crew with Roberto and Simone Ferrarese, who were responsible for tactics and steering, and another four regular crew members. The ORC 1 class was the strongest in the competition, featuring a total of 44 yachts. As such, the entire team was delighted with its somewhat unexpected victory.
Dr. Nicolas Peter, BMW Group Head of European Sales Region, said: “This is a fantastic success. Congratulations to the entire crew on winning such a prestigious competition. Everyone did their best and showed emphatically that the concept of the BMW Sail Racing Academy is working superbly. The efforts of Roberto Ferrarese and his team are outstanding evidence of the quality of this programme.”
