The 53rd Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca puts the Olympic dream at stake

Winds of up to 30 knots and big waves marked the opening day of the 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by Iberostar, which takes place until next Saturday in the waters of the Bay of Palma.

Nearly 850 boats and boards and more than 1,100 athletes from up to 76 countries are the figures for this giant edition, with an absolute record number of nations represented and a record number of participants in an Olympic year. Paris 2024 marks this event, which will serve to seal more than a few Olympic passports. In the Spanish Olympic sailing team alone, the Princesa Sofía is the last observation regatta to decide the national representatives for the Games in the ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and iQFOiL Women's classes.

The Princesa Sofia is also the observation regatta to decide who will put their name on the Spanish passport for Paris 2024 in ILCA 7, ILCA 6 and iQFOiL Women. In the men's individual category, the place is up for grabs for Joaquín Blanco and Joel Rodríguez from the Canary Islands, while in the women's category the Andalusian Ana Moncada, the Catalan Cristina Pujol, the Canary Islander Isabel Hernández and the Valencian Lara Himmes have Olympic options. Finally, in the women's hydrofoil windsurfing, Pilar Lamadrid from Seville and Nicole Van der Velden from Cantabria are the two contenders.

Although nothing is at stake this week in Mallorca, another point of interest for the national team is the Men's Formula Kite. This is the only discipline in which Spain has a national place pending. It will not be until the World Championship in Hyères when it will be clear whether the Catalan Berni Cortés or the Valencian Alex Climent will achieve full Spanish representation in the ten Olympic disciplines, but the Princesa Sofía will undoubtedly be a test for the two kiters.

On a day in which technique was more important than strategy, the Spaniards had a good start in 470 Mixed, with Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman in provisional third place, and in Women's Formula Kite, with Gisela Pulido fifth.

Only half of the disciplines in the great Mallorcan regatta were able to compete on the first day of the week: 470 Mixed, Formula Kite Men and Women, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7. The rest (49er, 49erFX, iQFOiL Men and Women and Nacra 17) waited in port for the conditions to ease according to some weather forecasts, but in the end the Race Committee had to cancel the day for these classes for safety reasons.

The two races of the 470 Mixed fleet, with 68 teams competing, resulted in a very compact first provisional podium. The Catalans Jordi Xammar and Nora Brugman, reigning world champions, are in third place after opening the podium with a fourth and a first. The leaders are the Germans Malte Winkel and Anastasiya Winkel.

In Women's Formula Kite, Catalan Gisela Pulido made her debut in fifth place in a field of 34 kiters. She finished second and seventh in the two races completed and is only two points behind the leading trio, formed by the American Daniela Moroz (2022 World Champion), the Australian Breiana Whitehead and the Chinese Jingyue Chen, in that order.

For today, the second day of competition, lighter wind conditions are expected, so it is expected that all 850 boats and 1,100 sailors will be able to compete in this record-breaking edition.