The Sofía will debut new competition formats on the road to Los Angeles 2028

From March 27 to April 4, the Bay of Palma will once again follow its annual tradition of becoming the global focal point for Olympic sailing. The 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels will open the 2026 season of the Sailing Grand Slam, the circuit that brings together the most iconic Olympic-format multiclass regattas in the world, alongside the Semaine Olympique Française (France), Dutch Water Week (Netherlands), Kieler Woche (Germany), and the Long Beach & San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta (United States).

The event is open to the ten sailing disciplines that will compete for glory at Los Angeles 2028 and will bring together athletes from the women’s classes ILCA 6, 49er FX, iQFOiL, and Formula Kite; the men’s classes ILCA 7, 49er, iQFOiL, and Formula Kite; and the mixed classes 470 Mixed and Nacra 17. With exactly two months to go before the start, nearly 350 teams from 49 countries have already pre-registered.

As the first major Olympic classes regatta of the year, the Sofía has been chosen to test several changes proposed by World Sailing to increase excitement and appeal at the next Games. Ferran Muniesa, the event’s technical director, explains: “The changes will affect race schedules and especially the Medal Race format: all classes will contest two finals instead of one, except Formula Kite and iQFOiL, which will continue with a configuration similar to last year’s edition. The aim is to ensure that any team reaching the Medal Race has a real chance of winning a medal.”

Fundación Bahía Activa

Another interesting new feature of this edition concerns its organization. It will be the first held under the direction of Fundación Bahía Activa, created by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), Club Nàutic Arenal (CNA), Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa (CMSAP), and the Balearic Sailing Federation (FBV). Cati Darder, president of the FBV, highlights the importance of this new phase: “Collaboration has always been a hallmark of the Sofía—an essential ingredient in its growth and a key factor in its success. For the FBV, it is gratifying to see how the three clubs and the federation are working together on a project that so exceptionally promotes the values of sport and showcases Mallorca as an ideal destination for hosting major international events.”

The 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels is supported by World Sailing and the main Balearic public institutions.