Remembering King Harald and José Cusí Ferret.
At the prize giving ceremony Puerto Calero Saturday 29 August:
“We are here to remember King Harald and José Cusí Ferret. Both men had a long, productive and well-lived life of which sailing certainly was an important part for them. But of course not what they will be foremost remembered for in the wider world. However, for us as gathered here today, they foremost were TP52 owners, MedCup competitors and TP52 Class Members. But, both were also instrumental for where we stand right now as class and series.
José by funding the Bribon campaign and creating the confidence amongst potential TP52 owners that the MedCup was not just an idea but a reality. Rise and fall of the MedCup was directly connected with the presence of Bribon and her helmsman King Juan Carlos.
And King Harald as tireless promotor of the ISAF, now World Sailing, who convinced the early class members to join the ISAF and become an ISAF recognized class. Something we today still see reflected in the right to hold the TP52 Worlds each year and the Rolex sponsorship of that event directly connected to that right.
Please join me in observing one minute of silence to honor, reflect on and remember King Harald and José Cusí Ferret.”
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King Harald V of Norway (1937 – 2026)
King Harald was a TP52 Class Member from 2006 to 2008. It is quite a coincidence that the class at the day of his passing is racing in Puerto Calero for the Royal Cup, a trophy donated in 1995 as a challenge trophy for IMS 50 racing by King Harald, Pasquale Landolfi, Willi Illbruck and Yannis Costopoulos. Four great names of sailing, now all deceased.
Harald’s first race must have been on the 8-metre yacht Sira when taken onboard by his father, then Crown Prince Olov, in 1939. Just two years old. It must have made an everlasting impression as he raced a wide variation of boats nearly all his life till announcing his retirement from competitive sailing for health reasons after achieving a 10th place with Sira at the 8-metre World Championships on Lake Geneva in July 2022. Sira (NOR 33) was launched in 1938, designed and built by legendary Norwegian naval architect Johan Anker.
Then Crown Prince Harald represented Norway at the 1964 Tokyo, the 1968 Mexico City and 1972 Munich Olympics in sailing. The first two in the 5.5 Metre class with Eirik Johannessen and Stein Føyen as crew (8th in 1964 and 11th in 1968). Then in 1972, as the 5.5 was discontinued as Olympic class, in the Soling class with Rolf Lund and Eirik Johannessen as crew for a 10th place.
His father set the Olympic bar at its highest winning a gold medal at the 1928 summer Olympics in Amsterdam in the 6-metre class. King Harald, in my eyes at least, equalled this in 1987 when winning the One Ton Cup in Kiel with the Farr designed FRAM X. The following year (1988), King Harald traveled to San Francisco to defend his title, taking home the bronze medal behind New Zealand’s Propaganda and Bravura (USA).
It must have been King Juan Carlos who persueded King Harald to join the TP52 class and of course it was Bruce Farr who designed him FRAM XVI, built by Mick Cookson during 2005. King Harald then joined the MedCup in 2006 for a credible 13th overall in a 23 TP52s strong fleet given that the FRAM crew was full amateur.
In 2007 FRAM joined two of the five MedCup events, I guess King Harald realized the MedCup, besides time and money consuming, was rapidly becoming the playground for professional teams and that never was how he wanted to sail. The last time FRAM raced in class was at the Puerto Calero TP52 Worlds in 2008. But without King Harald, FRAM was chartered out to a Norwegian businessman.
King Harald became ISAF, later World Sailing, President of Honour in 1994, succeeding his late father, King Olav V, who died in 1991. This gave him a permanent seat on the ISAF / World Sailing Council and influence to shape global sailing policies, rules and the selection of Olympic classes. World Sailing in a first reaction to his passing praises King Harald’s guidance and help in promoting inclusivity, youth participation and marine conservation worldwide.
It was King Harald who convinced his fellow TP52 class members to join the ISAF. Initially quite a few members were not convinced this was required. Also I, as fresh class manager, had some reservations. But to ignore the king’s wish ….. I then set out to go through the formalities of becoming an ISAF Class and, no surprise, did not encounter any problems doing so.
Must have been well over ten years later, bumping into King Harald in Saint-Tropez, when he subtly reminded me of my ‘misjudgement’ at the 2007 class meeting, saying: “Hi Rob, I read your Seahorse articles. You still have quite strong opinions”. I knew instantly what he referred to, we both laughed and talked about boats and sailing for a bit. Great man, passionate sailor.
Both José Cusí and King Harald passing while we are in Puerto Calero triggers a lot of memories of how TP52 sailing in the Med started and for many of us much earlier memories going back to the IOR and IMS days. Both men had long and well-lived lives in which sailing played an important role. As well as that both were important for sailing beyond sailing their boats.
Our condolences to Her Majesty Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, the Norwegian Royal Family, his many friends, the people of Norway and all those who sailed with King Harald.
Rob Weiland
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José Cusí Ferret (1934 – 2026)
José Cusí passed away on 19 August, nine days before King Harald. Born into a wealthy Catalan bourgeois family and with a master’s degree in electronic engineering, José foremost was a successful businessman who steadily expanded his wealth throughout his life. When José at the age of 65 sold the family electric/electronic components company he had his hands free to devote himself to his family and his hobbies; yachting, shooting and hunting.
As a young man growing up in Barcelona José swam for the Club Natació Barcelona (CNB), amongst others winning the 100-meter freestyle Catalonia Championship. He played international-level water polo and famously swam across the Strait of Gibraltar when he was just 18 years old.
José was not just an avid swimmer but also a scuba diver. As diver he joined the legendary French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau on an expedition with his famous research vessel, the Calypso, mapping the Red Sea. That voyage earned him the Legion d’Honneur medal presented by the French President de Gaulle.
José Cusí was a competitive marksman. He won 12 Spanish National Championships, an Iberian Championship and a European team title. He competed at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games where he placed 14th in the trap shooting event.
But sailing was his lifelong passion and the hobby that connected him with the Spanish royal family. After the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, José traveled to Acapulco to observe the Spanish sailing team and met the Mexican team’s coach, the Dane Ib Andersen. He convinced Ib to coach the Spanish team for the next Olympic games.
King Juan Carlos competed in the 1972 Olympics in the Dragon class and José Cusí was one of the team’s assistants. A little later both José and the King each bought an Elvström Half Tonner. Cusí named his Bribón and the King his Shere Khan. Initially they competed against each other but shortly after the Munich Olympics they began racing together on Bribón II, representing the Royal Barcelona Yacht Club. And they kept racing together for the next 38 years.
Yachts named Bribón won so many titles, it is easy to loose count. Important wins were the Copa del Rey (six), the Sardinia Cup (three), four 6-metre World Championships and of course their best MedCup results. Two times a second overall in 2008 and 2011.
Pointed the TP52 way by Bribón captain Ignacio Triay the King and José masterminded bringing TP52 racing to the Med after meeting with class founder Tom Pollack in 2004 in Puerto Portals. Bribón competed in the MedCup from the first race in 2005 till its very end in 2011. That final year Bribón finished 2nd overall after a tense battle with Quantum Racing (1st) and Azzurra (3rd).
In 2011 both King Juan Carlos and José Cusí were presented the TP52 Class Honorary Membership. Recognizing their importance for sailing in general as well as particularly for the TP52 Class.
Our thoughts are with José, his family, friends and the Bribón crew members.
Rob Weiland
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