The 51 Trofeo Princesa Sofía will turn the bay of Palma into the world centre of Olympic classes from the 1st to the 9th of next April. With exactly two months to go before the start of the competition program, the regatta co-organized by the Club Nàutic S'Arenal, the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Real Club Náutico de Palma has already received the registration of more than 380 crews, which in the words of its technical director, Ferran Muniesa, anticipates a multitudinous edition: "Having such a high number of entries at this stage of the year is great news. Since we announced the cancellation of the 2020 edition due to the pandemic, we have not stopped receiving expressions of support from the entire international sailing community, and this rhythm of entries confirms that the teams are looking forward to the Trofeo Princesa Sofía.”
The Notice of Race for the 51 Princess Sofía Trophy was published on December 22, the day entries officially opened for the ten Olympic classes taking part: the women's ILCA 6, 49er FX, IQ Foil and Formula Kite; the men's ILCA 7, 49er, IQ Foil and Formula Kite; and the mixed 470 and Nacra 17.
First major multi-class regatta since the start of the pandemic
The 51st Princess Sofía Trophy will be the first major multi-class regatta since the beginning of the pandemic. "It is a source of pride to contribute to the return to normality, but on the other hand it is a great responsibility," said Muniesa. "From the Organizing Committee we work tirelessly to ensure the safety of all, we are in close contact with the health authorities and always attentive to the evolution of the protocols. The gradual opening of the borders allows most of the teams to plan their transfer to Mallorca, but there are still countries like Japan or China whose circumstances limit the participation of their crew members.” These limitations do not prevent that among the confirmed entries there are athletes from 52 nationalities, including countries as remote as New Zealand, Australia or India, as well as a large participation from the American continent and, of course, from all European countries.
Target, 700 teams
The forced absence of several federations will reduce the number of teams, but the Organizing Committee expects to reach the magnificent figure of 700 boats on the water. At the time of writing, 382 teams have registered, with the ILCA 7 (110) and ILCA 6 (76) making a significant contribution. Next in number are the 49er FX (40) and 49er (34), the mixed 470 (28) and Nacra 17 (28), men's IQ Foil (24), women's IQ Foil (16), men's Formula Kite (16) and women's Formula Kite (10). "The trickle is incessant, but it is precisely in these weeks when the pace of registrations traditionally accelerates, so we do not rule out exceeding a thousand sailors on the water," concludes Muniesa.
As part of their preparation programs, the participating teams anticipate their arrival in Mallorca to sail weeks in advance. Several federations have confirmed their intention to participate in the Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta, a training regatta prior to the 51 Trofeo Princesa Sofía to be held between March 10 and 13. The spectacle of Olympic classes will return to the bay of Palma with an estimated presence of more than 200 boats.
The 51 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca is the first scoring event for the Hempel World Cup Series organized by the international sailing federation, World Sailing.
The 51 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca is jointly organized by Club Nàutic S'Arenal, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Real Federación Española de Vela and Federación Balear de Vela, with the support of the main Balearic public institutions.
