All eyes on Mallorca for international season opener ahead of Paris 2024
by US Sailing Team 29 Mar 2024 17:19 PDT
April 1-6, 2024
53rd edition of the Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía © US Sailing Team
Fourteen US Sailing Team athletes and ten additional USA representatives across all ten Olympic classes will go head-to-head with representatives from 70 other countries for the 53rd edition of the Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía racing April 1-6. Over 1,000 athletes on over 850 boats and boards are set to hit the water in Mallorca for a critical progress checkpoint for many athletes closing in on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Per US Sailing’s selection procedures for Paris 2024, this year's Princesa Sofía marks both the end of 49erFX athlete selection and the beginning of Nacra 17 athlete selection for Paris 2024. For both classes, the team with the lowest combined point total of two regattas will earn US Sailing's nomination for Paris 2024. The points are calculated based on the final finishing position of each event. Following the 49erFX World Championships, team Roble and Shea have 11 points and team Henken and Tunnicliffe Tobias have 26 points. Similarly, the Nacra 17 will enter this week as the first of two events with their World Championship in La Grand-Motte, France from May 7-12 serving as the final selection regatta.
The Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía is the first event each calendar year to gather all 10 Olympic classes, and all eyes will be on the Bay of Palma this week with the Olympic Games less than 120 days away. For many competitors, it's been months since they've battled their international fleets, so the timing of this event is well positioned to provide crucial information on how to adjust final preparation plans for Paris 2024.
"The last time I saw this fleet was in The Netherlands at the World Championships last year so it's been about seven months," said Erika Reineke, US Sailing Team ILCA 6 athlete and Paris 2024 Nominee. "I'm feeling great - it's good to hop back into the boat and compete internationally again. A lot of the goals surrounding this week will be trying to capitalize on my strengths and work on little improvements I need to work on by the time the Games hit. This is a really good stepping stone in the right direction."
On the water for the USA:
- 49er FX
- Stephanie Roble (Tokyo 2020) & Maggie Shea (Tokyo 2020), US Sailing Team
- Paris Henken (Rio 2016) & Anna Tunnicliffe Tobias (Beijing 2008 & London 2012)
- Nacra 17
- Sarah Newberry Moore & David Liebenberg, US Sailing Team
- Carson Crain & Lindsay Gimple
- Mixed 470
- Stu McNay (4x Olympian) & Lara Dallman-Weiss (Tokyo 2020), US Sailing Team
- 49er
- Andrew Mollerus & Ian MacDiarmid, US Sailing Team
- Men’s Formula Kite
- Women’s Formula Kite
- Daniela Moroz, US Sailing Team & Paris 2024 Nominee
- ILCA 6
- Erika Reineke, US Sailing Team & Paris 2024 Nominee
- Charlotte Rose, US Sailing Team
- Isabella Mendoza Cabezas
- Lilly Myers
- Christina Sakellaris
- ILCA 7
- Ford McCann, US Sailing Team & Paris 2024 Nominee (pending country qualification*)
- Thomas Kraak
- Marshall McCann
- Men’s iQFOiL
- Noah Lyons, US Sailing Team & Paris 2024 Nominee (pending country qualification*)
- Women’s iQFOiL
- Dominique Stater, US Sailing Team & Paris 2024 Nominee
*Representing Team USA in Sailing at an Olympic Games consists of two parts: a "country qualification" in each of the 10 disciplines or "classes," and "athlete selection" to decide who will compete in the earned spot for each class.?The "Last Chance Regatta" April 20-27 in Hyeres, France will be the final country qualification opportunity for Olympic berths. To qualify the country in the final three classes (Men's Kite, Men's iQFOiL, and ILCA 7), any American athlete must place high enough at the Last Chance Regatta for a spot in their class at the Games. Find more information regarding the country qualification system?here.?
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Race Schedule: April 1-6 with medal races and medal series racing on April 6.