The participation of sailors from 62 countries in the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels guarantees superb international exposure.

For over half a century, the Sofia has been promoting the Bay of Palma as an exceptional regatta venue and Mallorca as a host for top-tier international sporting events. In its 55th edition, the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels will once again demonstrate its appeal with a field of over 1,100 sailors of 62 nationalities aboard nearly 900 boats.

The event meets all the criteria to justify its funding by the Balearic Islands Government’s Sustainable Tourism Tax and the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation. In addition to its ability to spread tourism throughout the year, particularly between Christmas and Easter, it is an inclusive event, carries out initiatives in environmental education and awareness, and promotes local culture and gastronomy.

A prophet in his own land
The Spanish delegation will be the largest in this year’s fleet, with 65 teams and 80 sailors spread across nine of the ten classes. The Sofía is a key event in the Real Federación Española de Vela (RFEV) Olympic programme, as Olympic preparation director Xisco Gil explains: “We’re competing at home, on a world-class race course, and we can measure ourselves against the international fleet. It’s a safe bet, because we know the organisers are fully committed to the regatta and the sailors, both on land and at sea. And as it is the first international regatta, it serves as a barometer to see if our Olympic preparation is on the right track with a view to the season’s objectives.”

A must-attend event
Other federations also recognise the importance of the first event in the Sailing Grand Slam and are bringing their full arsenal to Mallorca. In terms of numbers of participants, Italy (with 63 teams), France (61), the United Kingdom (57), Germany (53) and China (50) stand out.

The British were the ones who won the most medals in the previous edition, including five of the ten golds up for grabs and the overall title, won by Emma Wilson after dominating the iQFOiL Women’s fleet. 

“It’s always a great event to compete in; I’ve been taking part since I was about 15, so you could say I’ve been part of it for quite a few years,” explains the Sofía defender. “A 12-knot thermal breeze in the Palma sunshine is hard to beat. At the same time, the conditions tend to be very changeable; you don’t know what you’ll be faced with throughout the week, and that makes the competition very interesting.”

Another regular British fixture in the Bay of Palma is Micky Beckett, who is facing his eleventh Sofía with the aim of securing what would be his fifth consecutive title in the highly competitive ILCA 7 class, which will see 200 boats on the water. Beckett finished 41st in 2015, but it’s fair to say that since then he has learnt every trick, how to interpret every nuance and every gust in the Bay of Palma: “Mallorca is an exceptional place to sail. Given all the challenges of competing here, it’s a massive event. Every year is special.” 

More than 60 flags
At the other end of the spectrum, 13 countries will be represented at this 2026 Sofia by a single team. They are Bulgaria, Slovakia, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Morocco, Monaco, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Romania, Saint Lucia and Uruguay.

It has taken Dominican kiter Deury Corniel just two appearances at the Sofia to become a true ambassador for Mallorca. “Palma is top-notch; it feels like home. Here you can sail every day in excellent conditions. And when you’re not sailing, there’s so much to see and endless experiences to be had. I’ve discovered a really, really beautiful spot called Cala Pi; it’s an amazing place. My experience in Mallorca is very hard to explain; there are no words to describe it: I urge anyone who hasn’t been to come and see it – it’s a wonderful place.”

Holidays
The participants in the Sofía spend much more time in Mallorca than the six days of the competition programme. Their stay is measured in weeks and, on occasion, months. And they don’t just sail here, they live it. They enjoy the local cuisine, the culture and the leisure options. As the overall champion in 2025, Emma Wilson received a voucher to enjoy a stay at any of the hotels in the FERGUS chain. “I haven’t been able to use it yet; I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to find a free week to do so,” she admits. “But I hope to be able to take a few days off at the end of the season and use it to enjoy a short holiday in Mallorca.”

The Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels (27 March to 4 April) is organised by Bahía Activa (the foundation formed by the Real Club Náutico de Palma, the Club Nàutic Arenal, the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa and the Balearic Sailing Federation) and is supported by World Sailing. The event is co-financed by the Balearic Islands Government’s Sustainable Tourism Tax fund and sponsored by the Mallorca Responsible Tourism Foundation. The event is part of the 2026 Sailing Grand Slam alongside the Semaine Olympique Française, Dutch Water Week, Kieler Woche and the Long Beach & San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta.