'Objective LA28', Balearic sailors start journey to next Olympics

The Princesa Sofía Mallorca Trophy by Fergus Hotels has officially started the campaign towards the Los Angeles Olympic Games to be held in 2028.

In this way, the Bay of Palma becomes the stage this week where the best sailors from around the world begin their hard and long journey to represent their countries in the most important competition of their sports careers, the Olympics.

Among these outstanding sailors is the Balearic sailing team, a selection composed of athletes who have already been Olympians such as Joan Cardona, Nacho Baltasar, Silvia Más, and Paula Barceló, and young promises aspiring to follow in the footsteps of their teammates and, why not say it, also role models, as Neus Ballester and Paula Van Wieringen have told us.

The team from Pasión por el Mar has moved to the Club Nàutic S'Arenal, one of the venues of the Princesa Sofía Mallorca Trophy by Fergus Hotel, to gather some of our athletes and learn in detail and firsthand how the Balearic sailors are facing the start of a new Olympic campaign.

Nacho Baltasar, who debuted last year at the Paris Olympics in the IQFoil class, assures that he is "Much calmer and more focused on everything I can improve, because in the end, the higher you are the less you see to improve and you have to spend more time meditating and reflecting on those things that can make you better" he confesses.

Speaking of winning an Olympic medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games, we spoke with Joan Cardona, who has changed disciplines and leaving the Finn in memory, now starts his career towards Los Angeles in the Nacra class along with his partner Nicole van der Velden. "It's my first time on a double boat, in a pair, because I've always sailed alone, so it's a challenge" Cardona assures, who adds that "I've started with Nicole whom we know very well from the Spanish Sail GP team and we have been very good friends for many years, so we start from a stable base, quite high and eager to spend hours together."

Four years of regattas, competitions, and training lie ahead to consolidate as a sports couple and be one of the crews that will defend the colors of Spain in the United States. In the Nacra class, everything starts this week and will continue in Cagliari, Italy, where the World Championship will be held in October this year. "Our mission is to do well to secure a scholarship and more help, which always comes in handy and be a bit the reference team of Spain" recognizes Cardona who adds that afterwards they must qualify the country in the World Championship to be held in 2026 in Poland. "We will focus on that, on giving our best version and qualifying the country which is the first thing" he assures.

For Nacho Baltasar "the first big test is this Princesa Sofía Trophy, it's the first time we all get together after the Games, so it will be a regatta to test ourselves among us" he explains. A first competition where they also debut with new and smaller sails, since the regulations in the IQFoil class have changed and from now on the men's class will sail with an 8-meter sail. "It's the sail we used in the youth class, which for me was two years ago, so I have it very handy. Unlike the older ones who have never used it because they have always trained with the big one and have to adapt to this new sail. That keeps me calm and more motivated for the next campaign" confesses Baltasar.

For the Olympic sailor, the Princesa Sofía Mallorca Trophy by Fergus Hotel marks a before and after in his sports career. "The Princesa Sofía is impressive. I've always told my mother that one of my dreams is to climb the podium of this competition. So I'm going to fight for that and to give the maximum show to my people and enjoy this regatta at home" confesses Baltasar.

As a test also faces this Princesa Sofía Mallorca Trophy by Fergus the sailor from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, Neus Ballester, who also starts an Olympic campaign in the 470 class with her partner Alejandro De Maqua. "We are going to see how we are, to measure ourselves with the other sailors" emphasizes Ballester adding that she starts this campaign "with a lot of enthusiasm, eager to sail, enjoy the process and learn as much as possible".

And what better than to live this experience at home, in the Bay of Palma. "Sailing at home is always super positive. Compared with other regattas on the circuit, the conditions are super good and varied and you never know what you might find. That's what makes this Princesa Sofía Trophy so important" declares Paula Van Wieringen who is currently sailing in the 49er FX class and already predicts Balearic sailors in the next Games. "Balearic sailing is super strong, it always has been and for this campaign it will continue to be so" she assures.

From Pasión por el Mar we wish all the sailors a good Princesa Sofía Mallorca Trophy by Fergus Hotel and good winds to all.