Josep Cusí, the most loyal friend of King Juan Carlos, both at sea and on land, passed away in the early hours of this Wednesday, at the age of 92, at his home in Barcelona, surrounded by his family, who have accompanied him tirelessly since a few days ago when his already fragile health worsened. Known for his close relationship with the King’s father, Cusí will be remembered as a kind man, a husband in love with his beloved Inés Muiños, father, grandfather, and even great-grandfather, a recognized athlete, promoter of nautical sports, and above all, for having a personality and innate elegance that earned him the affection of all who knew him, from kings and princes to the humblest of sailors. King Juan Carlos, upon learning of the fatal outcome of his faithful regatta and life companion, was the first to mourn the sad loss.
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The family will say goodbye to Cusí in private and later announce the date of a ceremony to remember his figure.
The last years of Cusí, since he suffered a stroke in November 2021 that brought him close to death, have been a difficult and, at the same time, happy period. Always surrounded by his family and some of his friends, he divided his time between his home in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi neighborhood and his residence in Alp. With mobility and vision problems, he never complained and always had a word of thanks for the people who cared for him during this time. He never lost the elegance he always displayed, in demeanor and dress, sitting in his wheelchair, from which he was never separated Bribón, the Jack Russell dog that King Juan Carlos gave him eight years ago, made jokes and received with genuine joy the affection shown by his lifelong friends. Until quite recently, he maintained regular phone contact with King Juan Carlos who, through his wife Inés Muiños, has always been attentive to the evolution of his friend. The first call Cusí received on his birthday was always from King Juan Carlos who, from afar, sent him encouragement.
The friendship of Josep Cusí with King Juan Carlos has not only lasted almost sixty years, but has also been an example of absolute loyalty and unfading affection that has overcome all kinds of storms. Cusí never boasted about that bond, nor, unlike other so-called friends, did he ever take advantage of the closeness. They were not only companions at sea; on land, the king father also found refuge in Cusí and his wife, Inés Muiños, who were part of his family.
Cusí was known for being the owner of Bribón, the boat with which he raced alongside King Juan Carlos for almost forty years, but before regattas, his first sport was shooting; his aim earned him an Olympic diploma at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games and also made him an instructor for Franco. At one of the hunts, he met the then prince Juan Carlos, who was four years younger and whose relationship began with a joke about their notable physical resemblance.
After his diploma in Mexico-68, Cusí began preparing for the Munich-72 Games, but his professional and personal responsibilities prevented him from dedicating all the necessary time to maintain the technical level, so he decided to switch to another physical activity that would allow him to stay in shape without so many demands. And he chose sailing. Changing sports was not new for this Barcelonan born on January 13, 1934, as at 16 he excelled in swimming, achieving numerous victories in the championships of Spain and Catalonia. When he realized he could no longer surpass himself, he switched to water polo.
The choice of a maritime sport was not a whim of chance. In fact, his other great passion was always underwater research, a practice halfway between science and sport, between archaeology and adventure. The Maritime Museum of Barcelona holds in its collection remains of shipwrecks located by Cusí. And his most vivid memory of those years was the three months he spent aboard the Calypso, alongside Jacques Cousteau, in the waters of the Red Sea.
Josep Cusí was, of all the people who have been associated with King Juan Carlos I, undoubtedly the one who knew him best. Cusí, owner of the legendary Bribón, crossed paths again with the then prince Juan Carlos when he went to train for the 1972 Olympic Games at the facilities of the Royal Yacht Club of Barcelona, where Cusí served as motormaster, beginning a shared story that would last more than 50 years. A long relationship that gives special value to the definition Cusí made of don Juan Carlos. “He is a born competitor. When he loses, he likes to see what went wrong and what can be improved…, and he knows how to win with great humility.” Cusí spoke like this after almost five decades of living together, at sea and on land,
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On September 17, 2011, the King and Josep Cusí closed the best stage of their sporting life: the Bribón lowered its sails after participating in the Conde de Godó Sailing Trophy, at the Barcelona Yacht Club, marking the end of a stage that lasted 40 years, during which fifteen sailboats bore the name Bribón on their hulls with King Juan Carlos as skipper and Cusí as owner.
The owner was proud of the victories and did not forget the defeats and what they meant for the entire crew during these years of effort and coexistence: “This is what makes me feel alive, working for a purpose and then achieving it; like in life, like in my work,” the owner used to say.
All the Bribón competed under the burgee of the Barcelona Yacht Club, of which Josep Cusí was a member for seventy years. The veteran owner, who passed away today at 92, was the one who named the first Bribón. “I always gave my boats names related to their function. In the end, I chose that name for the racing sailboats because to compete in them you need to be shrewd, aggressive, and also a bit cunning.”
Over the years, the different Bribón won five King’s Cups, two Sardinia Cups, twelve Spanish Cups, eleven Conde de Godó Trophies, one Queen’s Cup, three Prince of Asturias Trophies, and many other victories: this is the record of this unique series.
The last adventure shared by Josep Cusí and Juan Carlos de Borbón began twelve years ago in Loviisa (Finland) where King Juan Carlos was able to try the vintage sailboat (built in 1929) that Cusí and Pedro Campos had acquired and with which he has competed in recent years in the 6-meter category, in regattas held in Sanxenxo (Pontevedra), becoming world champions in their category twice. “The boat is older than all of us,” Cusí commented, “but it works better than a new one,” after closing the deal with the seller, Finnish businessman Michael Cedercreutz.
Once the operation was closed, the new Bribón traveled in the container of a cargo ship bound for Sanxenxo (Pontevedra), its base, where King Juan Carlos, for a time accompanied by Cusí, lived his last nautical adventure.
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