All eyes on Mallorca for international season opener ahead of Paris 2024

by US Sailing Team 29 Mar 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

Adam Keaton

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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