More than 700 teams have registered for the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, one month before racing begins. A total of 713 teams from 56 countries are set to compete on the Bay of Palma from 27 March to 4 April. The event marks the opening scoring round of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam.
Organisers say entries point to another high-turnout edition. “Some classes are already full, and others still have places available, but everything points to us enjoying a great edition,” said Ferran Muniesa, technical director of the Sofía. He confirmed that sailors have already begun training in Palma Bay ahead of the regatta. Many will also compete in the Mallorca Sailing Centre regatta from 12 to 15 March, a preparatory event that continues to grow in numbers.
The Sofía brings together all ten Olympic sailing disciplines. It is the second of four editions in the current Olympic cycle leading to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Organisers will introduce format changes aligned with the Olympic regatta planned for Long Beach and San Pedro. “Both at the Sofía and at the other Sailing Grand Slam events, we are working with the classes and World Sailing to study the best way to implement a format as similar as possible to that of the Olympic Games,” Muniesa said.
He added that race times will be reduced in most classes, particularly the 470 and ILCA fleets. The regatta will also become the first major event to use the Vakaros tracking system in the 49er and 49er FX classes, requiring rule adjustments.
Spain and Italy lead national entries with 57 teams each. Germany has 45 entries, Great Britain 44 and China 42. Five nations — Australia, France, Great Britain, Italy and Switzerland — are represented across all ten disciplines. The Spanish team is entered in every class except the Formula Kite Women class.
Olympic windsurfers fan out across the Bay of Palma. Photo: Sailing Energy/Princesa Sofía Mallorca
The 2026 edition is the first organised by Bahía Activa, a foundation formed by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, Club Nàutic S’Arenal, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Balearic Sailing Federation.
Cati Darder, president of the Balearic Sailing Federation, welcomed increased institutional backing. “We are very happy about the greater involvement of the administrations and their commitment to Sofía, especially the Balearic Government and the Council of Mallorca,” she said.
She added that the event highlights Mallorca’s capacity to host major international sporting competitions.
The regatta is supported by World Sailing and co-financed through the Balearic Islands’ Sustainable Tourism Tax fund. It forms part of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam series alongside key Olympic-class events across Europe and the United States.
