49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 fleets at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca - Day 5
by 49er & Nacra 17 Sailing 4 Apr 07:43 AEDT
30 March - 4 April 2026
Nevin Snow Ian MacDiarmid (USA 31), 49er - 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels - Day 5 © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
American pair Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid lead the 49er fleet after a valuable recovery from an early start in second of the skiffs' three races today. After having to return across the start line they battled to a 12th which they added to a race win and a fifth to lie just one point up on Germany's Richard Shultheis and Fabian Rieger.
Asked about the new Finals Series format Snow smiled, "I have not let myself get there, I didn't want to think about the ten-boat race too early, so I need to go home and figure it out. I am feeling good about it. We are sailing well, we sailed well in training. We need to just stay in the zone and take it as it comes."
French duo Erwan Fischer and Clément Pequin, the 2024 world champions and last year's Sofía class winner missed the cut, finishing 13th with a 9,9,12 today while the Netherlands' triple world champion Bart Lambriex and Floris Van De Werken squeeze in in 9th thanks to a fourth in the last race.
"These guys they will come on strong I'm sure." Observed Snow, "I don't think they have been training as much as they used to when they were winning world championships. When they are going for gold medals they will start ratcheting it up. But we are super happy, we have been training hard. We have good boat speed - like I am sure everyone says - and the conditions here have been super shifty. Our speed has improved in all conditions. We are focused on the right details and in terms of big goals to accomplish we are just ticking away at them."
Just two points separates the top three teams in the Women's Skiff, local favourites Paula Barcelo and Maria Cantero appeared confident as they spoke to Spanish media.
"The standings are very tight, especially from first to sixth place." Barceló said, "So any possible points reduction under the new format won't affect us. There will be two medal races instead of one, scoring single rather than double points. It's the same format for everyone, so whoever adapts best will come out on top."
Swedes consistency continues
Training gains account for a strong, consistent run so far in the Nacra 17 by regatta leaders Emile Järudd and Hanna Jonsson who have overcome a flu virus to build an eight points lead over compatriots and training partners Ida Svensson and Marcus Dackhammer. 2024 Olympic silver medallists Mateo Majdalini and Eugenia Bosco had a collision before the start of the day's first race which broke their boom. A replacement was brought from shore and the Argentinian pair - who train with both Swedish boats - have to count their DNC (did not compete) and so drop to fifth.
Jarudd and Jonsson, 2023 world bronze medallists, are going for their first major regatta win together.
"We feel so good, we have kept it simple all week, not least because we have both been sick, we are really happy. Having Swedes top two proves our training is paying off." enthused Jarudd.
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