A reputed Sales Manager for Multimar Alcudia, it’s hard to decipher Teddy Torkington at first encounter. Just as likely to be speaking effortless Mallorquin as Spanish, English or French, he’s a citizen of the world but with roots embedded deep into Balearic soil. However, there’s one golden thread that will always weave its way throughout Teddy’s story, and that’s the sea.
At boot Düsseldorf.
Q.—When did Mallorca first appear in your life? A. — My parents – French mother, English father – met on a hotel dance floor in Cala San Vicente in the 1960s. They fell in love not only with each other but also the resort. Aside from a brief two-year sabbatical in Canada - where incidentally I was born - they made an annual road trip from Hastings to Mallorca, four windsurfers on the roof, my brother and I on the backseat, and a speedboat trailered behind. For the entire summer, we’d be on, in or under the sea, returning to England brown as berries.
Q.— Is this where your love of languages blossomed? A. — As a youngster, I aspired to be an interpreter and opted to study French and Spanish at Bristol Polytechnic. I had an outrageous head start on the French and Mallorcan summers had done wonders for my Spanish. Mid-way through the degree, my parents divorced. Mum skedaddled to old town Pollensa where she opened a restaurant. The temptation to join her was irresistible so, with the Head of Languages’ blessing, I ditched the classroom and caught a flight.
Q.— From interpreter to Spanish waiter… A. — We spent three or four years at that restaurant before upgrading to a prime location on the Calvari steps. I waited tables, water-skied, and frittered my tips on partying – it was sublime. When I turned 28, Mum left the Island, but I wanted to stay. I followed family tradition back to Cala San Vicente and opened a sports bar, just in time for the 1998 World Cup - and Beckham’s infamous red card against Argentina.
Completing the 2024 Alcudia Ironman 70.3.
Q.— A sports bar sounds a lot of fun. A. — It was a mad decade. I played host to three FIFA World Cups, three UEFA Euros, plus plenty of F1, Moto GP, cricket, golf, tennis… never a dull day. I look back with fondness at all the ‘Beckham Breakfasts’ we served up during the 2002 World Cup hosted in Korea/Japan, the time a toddler managed to unplug the TVs at a crucial scoring moment and, of course, Spain’s win over Germany in 2008 Euros final. That would be my last year as a bar landlord, I was 39 and burnt out. A local guy bought the traspaso off me over a beer – a lucky escape as the financial crisis was about to bite.
Summers in La Cala.
Q.—How did you recover from burnout? A. — By doing something entirely different. I took a job at Can Axartell, an organic vineyard owned by Hans-Peter Schwarzkopf of shampoo dynasty fame. Working ‘normal’ hours, I chugged around on the tractor, planting, pruning and weeding. I put on weight, gained muscle, and my skin actually looked like it had seen some daylight. Two years of nature’s therapy.
Q.—From Syrah to Sunseeker – how did you end up in the boat business? A. — I met a guy who was recruiting for his Sunseeker dealership – at the time Marina Estrella in Puerto Pollensa – and he suggested I went for interview. Thanks to my languages, and extensive local contacts, I got the job. A year later, the dealership was bought by Sunseeker London Group and we relocated to offices in Puerto Portals and Port Adriano. I was rigorously trained in the art of boat marketing, attending courses, conferences, and boat shows across Europe. All rather glamourous, apart from the commute. By refusing to leave the Cala, I was subjecting myself to a daily two- to two-and-a-half-hour drive, often in nose-to-tail traffic. Something had to give.
Teddy with Mum on his beloved Fletcher motorboat.
Q.—And that’s how Sunseekers morphed into Axopars. A. — At boot Düsseldorf 2017, fledgling Finnish powerboat builder, Axopar Boats, were looking for a dealer to represent them in the north of Mallorca. Salvador, the boss of Multimar Alcudia, appeared like magic on their stand and a contract was duly signed. Salvador knew my parents from Cala San Vicente and tracked me down to see if I’d come and sell Axopars. It was the absolute definition of a no-brainer.
With his dad.
Q.— How does it feel to be a Brit in a Mallorquin business? A. — Established in 2000, Multimar Alcudia is a true Mallorquin family affair. Internally, our working language is Mallorquin or Castellano and, despite my ‘guiri’ status, I am very much treated like part of the family – or at least close to it. In contrast to Sunseeker, business is less corporate, more personal, and without the same target-driven pressure. I feel relaxed and, as a result, I’m able to perform better. Across the divisions - charter, brokerage, maintenance, moorings, chandlery – we keep a good work-life balance and always make time for lunch.
Little Teddy with his two grandmothers.
Q.— After almost four decades in Mallorca, do you still identify as British? A. — In the mornings, I flick between La 1 and Sky News, while my agenda is scrawled half in Spanish, half in English. My social life certainly features more locals than it does expats, but I have no intention of giving up my British passport. As the song goes: corazón partido.
All the gear...
Q.— These days you’re known as much for your triathlons as you are for yachts. A. — During my debut season at Multimar Alcudia, I watched thousands of Ironman athletes swim, bike and run, past my office. My first thought was, “I’m doing that next year”. I’d contested a few running competitions, the odd open-water swim, but never a triathlon. I got training and completed the 2018 Ironman 70.3 in six hours 30 minutes. I haven’t missed one since. Last week I competed in the Artiem Half Menorca Triathlon and at the end of the month I’ll be in Marbella for its Ironman 70.3. In a few weeks I will turn 54 - I have zero plans to slow down.
Multimar Alcudia’s summer Axoparty - pictured August 2023.
Q.— Finally, how is the new boat market these days? A. — Axopars – ranging from 22ft to 45ft, including all-electric models - still sell like hot cakes. And, the good news is, unlike the ‘pandemic years’, the supply chain can now keep up with demand. The biggest challenge we face, not only in the Balearics but throughout the Mediterranean, is moorings. Deals have collapsed because we can’t find a berth, leading some to pre-emptively buy one before they’ve even looked at a boat. Superyacht captains are our ideal client, Axopars make for spectacular tenders – no mooring required.
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