From April 4th to 9th will be held in the Bay of Palma the 51st edition of the Princess Sofia Trophy, one of the most important and awaited sporting events of the season, organized by the Real Club Náutico de Plama, Club Náutic S’arenal, and Club Marítimo San Antonio de la playa, in collaboration with Real Federación Española de Vela and Federación Balear de Vela.
After being canceled for the last two years due to health restrictions, more than 1,500 participants, including Olympic, World and European champions, of more than 55 nationalities, will travel to Mallorca to compete in this trophy.
Many of the participants are already on the island because just three weeks ago the third edition of the Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta was held, organized by the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Club Náutico del Arenal. This regatta, in which six of the ten Olympic classes that will participate in the Trofe Princesa Sofía took part, consisted of three days celebrated as a competition to prepare for this trophy.
This competition will inaugurate the new edition of the Hemple World Cup Series 2022, which marks the beginning of the preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This circuit organized by Salling World and the International Sailing Federation, consists of three series held in different parts of Europe. The first one in Mallorca with the Princess Sofia Trophy, April 4-9, the second one in Amsterdam with the Allianz Regatta, June 1-5, and the last one in Marseille, dates to be confirmed.
The Queen Sofia Trophy has been held since 1968 and at the beginning it was considered an ”amateur” competition in which only the Dragon category competed, this fact is far behind what it is today, a professional competition in which 10 Olympic categories participate:
Women’s ILCA 6, 49er FX, IQ Foli, Formula Kite.
Men’s ILCA 7, 49er, IQ Foli, Formula Kite
Mixed 470 and Nacra 17.
Since last week several sailors have already been seen sailing, as the Real Club Náutico de Palma from 1 to 3 April, held its traditional regatta of Cruises and Monotypes as a form of preparation for non-Olympic classes.
So if you are sailing near Mallorca, keep an eye out for this competition as it is a spectacle to be admired.