The 43 Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, set to start this week-end in the bay of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, will be the stage for fierce competition between the majority of future London Olympians and one last selection chance for many teams.
Live practice for selected teams
Most international teams have sent their representatives to Palma, the 3rd Sailing World Cup event on the international circuit. Sailors will test the results of their winter training and perfect their techniques and material before the Olympic Games. Among them, the Skandia Team GBR has a strong presence in Palma, as explained by their Olympic manager, Stephen Park:
“Skandia Team GBR are looking forward to a fantastic regatta this week in Palma. We will have a strong team including all of the GBR Olympic representatives except the RSX sailors Nick Dempsey & Bryony Shaw, who have just completed the RSX Worlds. This regatta will provide a good opportunity for sailors to review their progress against their Olympic plans, following spring training. With less than 120 days remaining until the first race of the Olympics, the number of high quality regattas remaining for sailors to test their performance are few and we are confident the Princess Sofia MAPFRE will live up to expectations and deliver a fantastic ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta.”
Most of the American Olympic team will be also competing at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE with among them the Railey’s: brother and sister in the Finn and Laser radial. With Olympic selection still under way for the Women Match-racing teams, four US teams will race in Palma, a good test before their last Olympic selection event in Weymouth early May!
Ongoing Olympic selections
However, Olympic selection is not complete for all teams and some sailors will be under scrutiny during the Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE.
For the Polish team only the Star and RS:X have already gained selection and sailors in other classes will be vying for good results in Palma to add valuable points to their national rankings. The Czech teams are in a similar position with the exception of Veronika Fenclova selected in the Laser radial after the ISAF Worlds in Perth.
However, one of the tighter ongoing battles for Olympic selection is among the three French 470 women teams. For Camille Lecointre and Mathilde Géron, Ingrid Petitjean and Nadège Douroux and finally Emmanuelle Rol and Hélène Defrance, Palma and Hyères will be considered as “observation” regattas. Technical Director Philippe Gouard summarized the situation: “Palma is not a strict selection event, but we will keep an eye on the teams' performances and will take a final decision after Hyères.”
Another French battle will take place between Sophie de Turckheim and Sarah Steyaert in the Laser Radial. Selection between the two will be settled after their class World’s in May.
Competition in the 43rd Trofeo Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, third leg of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, will start on Monday 2nd of April, after a practice race on Sunday.
Professionista di primo piano nel mondo della finanza e velista di lunga data, Rinaldi assume la guida dello storico sodalizio dell’Argentario nel segno della continuità familiare e del rilancio internazionale
Semaine Olympique Française 2026, quinta giornata: Maggetti vince l’iQFOiL Women, Pilloni secondo nell’iQFOiL Men, Pianosi secondo nel Formula Kite
I vincitori: Chestress (La Lunga Bolina Offshore), Carbonita (line of honours), Jill (Coastal Cruise), Kaster 24 (Este24), Gregorio Pugliese e Marta Monge (WingFoil)
Con distacchi minimi e prestazioni altalenanti per molti team, tutto resta aperto in vista delle ultime tre prove. Come sottolineato dal tattico Vasco Vascotto, “in una flotta così compatta basta poco per cambiare tutto.”
A Luca Bonizzoni e Annalie Meoni la Prima Selezione Nazionale Optimist di Trapani. Nnove prove in mare, 140 giovani in gara e i primi verdetti per Mondiali ed Europei di classe. La LNI – Trapani si conferma polo velico di riferimento
Sulla linea di partenza della regata di vela d’altura più lunga del Mediterraneo una flotta di 34 imbarcazioni (nuovo record di iscritti per la RAN 630)
Si chiude con una giornata intensa e spettacolare la Antigua Sailing Week, che domenica 26 aprile ha regalato condizioni ideali per un’ultima prova ricca di contrasti: regate combattute da un lato, navigazione rilassata dall’altro
La 30ª edizione della Superyacht Cup Palma Richard Mille registra il tutto esaurito con la flotta più numerosa degli ultimi vent'anni
Si è conclusa la prima tappa del circuito Mediterraneo della classe Cape 31 che ha aperto la stagione sportiva dello Yacht Club Costa Smeralda
Domenica 26 aprile 2026 si è conclusa la terza edizione delle Vele Classiche di Puccini, l’unico raduno di barche storiche organizzato nei luoghi dove ha vissuto e si è ispirato il famoso compositore lucchese Giacomo Puccini