Mixed crews aiming for Los Angeles 2028 will take centre stage at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels. The regatta, the first of the season to feature all ten Olympic disciplines, runs from 27 March to 4 April on the Bay of Palma.
The 470 Mixed and Nacra 17 fleets will compete from 30 March to 3 April, followed by a Final Series on 4 April. Both classes will be based at Club Nàutic S’Arenal.
Nacra 17: Established Mixed Format
The Nacra 17 became the first Olympic sailing event to require a mixed crew when it debuted at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Mallorca’s Joan Cardona, bronze medallist in the Finn class at Tokyo 2020, will race alongside Nicole Van der Velden.
“It’s my first experience in a mixed crew, and I’m really enjoying it,” Cardona said. “She is calmer and more faithful to the process, and I am a little more imaginative on the water. Between the two of us, we complement each other very well.”
Joan Cardona and Nicole Van der Velden (ESP) power their foiling Nacra 17 across the Bay of Palma, fine-tuning speed and coordination ahead of the Trofeo Princesa Sofía. Photo: Sailing Energy/Princesa Sofía Mallorca
Cardona’s 2025 Sofia campaign was cut short by illness. “It’s about finding out where we are and seeing where we need to improve,” he added. Among confirmed entries are Britain’s John Gimson and Anna Burnet, defending champions and current world champions.
470 Mixed: A New Chapter For A Classic
The 470, an Olympic class since 1976, now competes exclusively as a mixed crew following changes introduced for Paris 2024.
Silvia Mas, 2021 world champion, teams up with Alejandro de Maqua. “The level has risen considerably,” she said. “The class now requires a lot of physical and mental effort.”
Reigning world and European champions Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona are also entered. They finished sixth at last year’s Sofia after limited preparation. “We arrive with the responsibility of being last year’s world and European champions,” Xammar said. “But rather than pressure, it’s extra motivation.” He added: “Our expectation is always to be at the top, but above all, to continue fine-tuning details for our big goal this year, which is the World Championship.”
Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona (ESP) drive their 470 Mixed through a downwind leg off Palma, the reigning world champions sharpening form for the Trofeo Princesa Sofía. Photo: Sailing Energy/Princesa Sofía Mallorca
The Trofeo Princesa Sofía forms part of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam, alongside events in Hyères, the Netherlands, Kiel and Long Beach.
