The Trofeo Princesa Sofía opened in the Bay of Palma with light, unstable winds disrupting racing across all courses in this first Olympic regatta of 2026 on the road to LA 2028.
Forecast strong conditions failed to materialise. Large wind shifts and inconsistent pressure caused delays, abandonments and long days afloat.
ILCA 7 – Lynch Leads Irish Charge
Two-time Olympian Finn Lynch (National Yacht Club) sits fifth overall after a strong opening day in the 199-boat fleet.
He posted a sixth and a second for eight points, just two points off the podium .
“It was about staying composed and making good decisions,” Lynch said. “These are the conditions where experience counts.”
Fiachra McDonnell (Royal Irish YC) is 25th overall after finishes of 19th and 10th, delivering one of the most consistent Irish performances.
Ewan McMahon (Howth YC) recovered from a difficult first race with a third in race two and lies 48th overall.
At the front, Australia’s Matt Wearn leads on six points, with Singapore’s Ryan Lo and Croatia’s Bruno Gaspic among a tightly grouped chasing pack.
Just two races were completed after a prolonged schedule, with the top six separated by only two points in highly unstable conditions.
ILCA 6 – McMahon Fifth In Limited Racing
Eve McMahon (Howth YC) finished fifth in the only completed race.
She rounded the first mark in 12th before climbing through the fleet in difficult conditions.
Sienna Wright placed 13th.
A second scheduled race was abandoned as shifting winds continued to impact the course areas.
49er – Irish Crews Chase After Difficult Start
Olympians Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove recorded a best finish of seventh but lie 67th overall after three races.
Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain posted a top result of 15th.
Internationally, the fleet is tightly contested, with Denmark, France and Australia all sharing the early lead on equal points.
Large wind shifts, reported at up to 100 degrees, made consistency difficult across the skiff fleet.
Denmark’s Frederik Rask / Jakob Precht, France’s Lucas Rual / Emile Amoros, and Australia’s Harry Price / Max Paul all level on three points after three races. The trio adapted best to the shifty northerly breeze, combining conservative positioning with opportunistic gains in unstable pressure.
49erFX – Early Lessons For Irish Pair
Erin McIlwaine and Ellen Barbour are 47th overall after three races in their first full senior season.
The pair used the opening day to benchmark performance in challenging conditions.
Belgium’s Isaura Maenhaut / Anouk Geurts lead the 49erFX standings after three races, recovering from an early discard to post a race win and consistent scores in difficult conditions. Spain’s Paula Barceló / María Cantero and Sweden’s Vilma Bobeck / Ebba Berntsson sit close behind, while Britain’s Freya Black and Saskia Tidey of Dun Laoghaire remain well placed after a steady opening day.
Qualification Continues
Racing continues with qualification series across all fleets.
ILCA classes will complete two days of qualifying, while the skiffs will sail three before fleets split into Gold, Silver and Bronze.
The top ten boats overall will progress to Saturday’s Final Series to decide the podium.
Unstable conditions are expected to remain a factor as the regatta develops.
