Santiago Lange, appointed Ambassador of the 54th Trofeo Princesa Sofia

The official presentation of the 54 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels brought together representatives of the Balearic public institutions and its new main sponsor, FERGUS Group, who showed their support to the organizers of the event. The Argentinean Santi Lange was proclaimed the first official ambassador of the Sofia in an emotional ceremony during which he received the recognition of all those present. The regatta will bring together nearly 800 boats from 55 countries from March 28 to April 5 in the Bay of Palma.

The presentation, held in the Auditorium of the Hotel Association of Playa de Palma, was attended by the general director of Sports of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Joan Antoni Ramonell; the deputy director of the AETIB, Paco Ferrer; and the director of Tourism for Governance and Sustainability of the Consell de Mallorca, Pedro Mas. The founder and executive president of FERGUS Group, Pep Cañellas; the head of Institutional Relations of the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, Jaime Carbonell; and the Argentine three times Olympic medallist Santi Lange also took part in the event.

Towards Los Angeles 2028
“The Los Angeles 2028 campaign begins at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, on our renowned Bay of Palma, the blue arena, where the forces of nature join forces to turn sailing into an economic engine for Mallorca,” said the organization's spokesperson, confirming the estimation that the economic impact of the event at more than 7 million euros.

Carbonell took the opportunity to thank the support of the Balearic institutions and the sponsors and collaborators: FERGUS Group, Trasmed, Nautia, OK Mobility, Marine Pool, Vell Marí Association and Sa Calma Boats, which together with the organizing bodies, the Club Nàutic S'Arenal (CNA), the Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa (CMSAP) and the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), are “essential for the participants to continue considering the Sofía as the regatta for the sailors”.

The president of FERGUS Group valued the fact that the Princesa Sofia places the Bay of Palma as the global axis of Olympic sailing and that it attracts more than 2,500 people each year, including athletes and technicians. “As a tourism professional and as a Mallorcan by birth, I want to thank the Princesa Sofia for the role it plays in the transformation and diversification of tourism on our island,” added Pep Cañellas, whose chain now has 16 hotels in Mallorca, five of them in the Bay of Palma.

Institutional support
Representing the Consell de Mallorca, Pedro Mas declared that “as an official sponsor, Mallorca reaffirms its commitment to the highest level of sport on our island, because it is always linked to the highest level of tourism. It is one more opportunity to show that Mallorca has a lot to offer, it is a perfect setting for sport and for responsible tourism”.

In his speech, Joan Antoni Ramonell said that “events like the Sofia show the potential of Mallorca as a sports destination of reference. In its 53 editions it has served as a platform for future stars of the sport, and has established itself as one of the most emblematic events in world sailing. From the Govern we continue to promote events like this one, which contribute to the economic and touristic development of the Community”.

Santi Lange, first ambassador of the Sofia
As a climax of the event, the Argentinean sailor Santiago Lange was appointed first official ambassador of the Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels. “The Trofeo Princesa Sofia is an invaluable showcase for Mallorca, and we owe part of this success to sailors who love our regatta and act as true ambassadors, like Santi Lange,” said the head of Institutional Relations of the event, who highlighted that the Argentinean star had raced at more than 35 editions of the Princess Sofia Trophy and in six Olympic Games, including 2016, when he was crowned Olympic champion in Nacra 17 with Cecilia Carranza at the age of 55 and a few months after undergoing surgery for lung cancer. “For the world, he is an example of overcoming, a reference, a hero. For the Sofia, he is, above all, a friend,” Carbonell concluded before presenting him with a piece of Gordiola's handicraft, ‘a little piece of Mallorca’.

A “super excited” Lange elected to review his relationship with the event, which goes back 45 years. “My first Sofia was in 1980, and since then I had the good fortune not only to see the growth of the regatta, but to see how Mallorca positioned itself in the whole world. I have incredible memories of this area, which I consider my second home.”

Lange was absolute champion of the Sofia in 1986 and 1987 in the Snipe category. “I want to thank all those who have worked over the years to make the Sofia what it is and that the bay of Palma is probably the center of world sailing, the cathedral of our sport. Thanks to all those who at that time decided that the Sofia would be an open event, because this is where all those who have an Olympic dream start their journey.

The 54th edition of the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels takes place from March 28 to April 5, with the participation of nearly 800 boats of 55 nationalities that will turn the Bay of Palma into the center of world sailing. Olympic medalists and world and European champions will take part in the event, which kicks off the Los Angeles 2028 cycle and which is the premiere of the new Sailing Grand Slam circuit.

The event is jointly organized by Club Nàutic S'Arenal, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa, Real Club Náutico de Palma, the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation and the Balearic Sailing Federation, with the support of World Sailing, and is co-financed by the Sustainable Tourism Tax fund of the Government of the Balearic Islands.

The 54 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels is part of the Sailing Grand Slam 2025, along with the Semaine Olympique Française, the Dutch Water Week, the Kieler Woche and the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta.