47th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Iberostar in Palma de Mallorca 

 

 

 

The famous Bay of Palma dealt the armada of over 800 boats competing a full range of different breezes, just what was really wanted by those sailors who have their courses set towards the 2016 Olympic regatta in Rio.

 

 

 

 

 

Two stand out wins

 

As an indicator as to possible Olympic sailing medal form in Rio, the regatta revealed two absolute stand outs. France’s charismatic four times world champions Billy Besson and Marie Riou won the Nacra 17 class with a day to spare and win the overall trophy for the best performance at the regatta.

“We are working towards Rio and every result is important, but the finishing place is not a big thing, at this stage it is more about how we sail, trying to do the best job on board each and every day. That is what we are trying to do. But you can never be perfect, you keep trying.” Besson acknowledged before breaking into his trademark broad grin: “But winning is great and it will be great to be able to meet and kiss the queen!”

 

Preceding as it does, the 470 European Championships on the same waters, the 49er European Championships in Barcelona the Laser Radial Worlds in Mexico and the Sailing World Cup in Hyeres coming up, this Palma regatta is what is considered a vital ‘training’ rather than ‘outcome’ regatta.

 

 

Belcher and Will Ryan were outstanding as they triumphed in the 470 Men’s class by 28 points, winning 7 of their total of 16 races. They have seemed unstoppable.

 

 

 

 

Golden Kiwis
New Zealand sailors completed a notable double in the Men’s singlehander classes. In the white hot Finn class Josh Junior brought world champion Giles Scott’s winning streak to an end. Scott’s challenge was hurt by a broken rudder fitting on the penultimate day, but Junior sailed an accomplished, consistent series. His triumph was matched in the Laser fleet by Andy Maloney who lead from the middle of the week.
 

Scheidt peaking
Brazil’s Robert Scheidt, pursuing his sixth Olympic medal, proves he is peaking on time. After winning in Miami in January, winning the medal race gave him second overall. And there, too, is a message to the Laser fleet. The 42 year old is hitting form as he hoped.

“The Olympics will be high pressure for sure. Having said that I have been to five Olympics already so I feel like I know what it will be like. The hardest thing will be before it starts, those weeks, but once it starts you are in the bubble. The Laser is so hard now there are ten guys who can win the medal.”

 

For others overall victory probably means much more. Ireland’s Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern won the 49er class, a big endoresemt of the progress they have made, keeping 2012 Olympic Champions Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen in second.

 

The Dutch pair Annemiek Bekkering and Annette Duetz closed out their win in the 49er FX class which all but confirms their attendance in Rio. The British team of Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth sailed a solid series to finish sixth overall.

 

Finland’s Tuula Tenkanen also scored her first big European regatta win leaving Belgium’s 2012 bronze medallist Evi van Acker in second in the Laser Radials. Britains Alison Young finished just outside the medals in fourth confirming her progress back to form since her injury last season.

 

 

Another British youth development sailor Tom Squires shrugged off tiredness brought on by a tough travelling schedule to win the RS:X Men while Russia’s Olga Maslivets sailed for victory in the RS:X Women.

 

 

Rio dreams come true

 

Allan Julie from the Seychelles finally got his ticket to an Olympic games by claiming the only remaining African nation spot in the Finn class by beating the only other contender from Tunisia. Allan had previously unsuccessfully tried to qualify for the Olympic games in the Laser class.

Hedi Gharbi and Rihab Hammami from Tunisia gained a trip to Rio as top African nation in the Nacra 17 class.

 

 

Down to the wire for European qualifiers

The last spot for a European nation in the Men’s 470 Class had to be decided on countback. On the final reach of the last race the young Italian pair Matteo Capurro and Matteo Puppo had done enough to wrest the national qualification place from the Ukranians Boris Shvets and Pavlo Matsuyev who had started the day with a three points lead over the Italians.

 

 

 

Turkey seal the deal

 

The close battle in the high octane Finn class sees Turkey qualify thanks to Alican Kaynar keeping his nerve top return a 14th in the penultimate race and so finishing with a 10.5 points margin over the Czech Republic’s Ondrej Teply who made a 31st and 13th over the last two races of the season. Kaynar represented his nation at the 2012 Olympics

In the 49er FX Class Noora Ruskola and Camilla Cedercreutz had sealed Finland’s qualification after winning the penultimate race, also squeezing into Saturday’s medal race in 10th overall.

 

Tears of joy

 

In the Womens 470 class Amir of Israel was fighting back tears on the beach, after achieving qualification to sail in Rio. “This has been my dream to get to the Olympics and I will be going. It is unbelievable.”

 

Israel qualified in the Women’s 470 Class thanks to the ninth of Gil Cohen and Nina Amir who also confirm their own selection. It will be Cohen’s second Olympics after 2012.

 

It was a red letter day for Hungary, qualifying in the RS:X and the Laser Radial. In the Radials Maria Erdi closed out qualification by making the cut to the Medal Race in ninth. As the Laser Radials have two country qualification spots Sara Carmo ensures a Portuguese berth.

 

Correspondingly the two Laser Men’s spots are Russia and the Czech Republic.

 

 

 

Palma Overall Results: (top three in each class)

 

470 Men:

1 Mathew Belcher/ Will Ryan (AUS): 21pts

2 Stu Macnay/Dave Hughes (USA): 49pts

3 Panagiotis Mantis/Pavlos Kagialis (GRE): 57pts

 

470 Women:

1 Agnieszka Skrzypulec/Irmina Mrozek (POL): 48pts

2 Fernanda Oliveira/Ana Barbachan (BRA): 50pts

3 Amy Seabright/Anna Carpenter (GBR): 52pts

 

49er Men:

1 Ryan Seaton/Matt Mcgovern (IRL): 75pts

2 Nathan Outteridge/Iain Jensen (AUS): 88pts

3 Diego Botin/Iago López (ESP): 97pts

 

49er FX:

1 Annemiek Bekkering/Annette Duetz (NED): 61pts

2 Jena Mai Hansen/Katja Steen (DEN): 74pts

3 Tina Lutz/Susann Beucke (GER): 93pts

 

Finn:

1 Josh Junior (NZL): 51pts

2 Giles Scott (GBR): 78pts

3 Tapio Nirkko (FIN): 78pts

 

Laser Standard:

1 Andrew Maloney (NZL): 57pts

2 Robert Scheidt (BRA): 66pts

3 Tonci Stipanovic (CRO): 72pts

 

Laser Radial:

1 Tuula Tenkanen (FIN): 55pts

2 Evi Van Acker (BEL): 64pts

3 Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN): 65pts

 

Nacra 17:

1 Billy Besson/Marie Riou (FRA): 60pts

2 Thomas Zajac/Tanja Frank (AUT): 104pts

3 Allan Norregaard/Anette Viborg (DEN): 109pts

 

RS: X Men:

1 Tom Squires (GBR): 28pts

2 Pawel Tarnowski (POL): 40pts

3 Byron Kokkalanis (GRE): 41pts

 

RS:X Women:

1 Olga Maslivets (RUS): 44pts

2 Flavia Tartaglini (ITA): 51pts

3 Lilian De Geus (NED): 56pts

 

 

For full results see: http://www.trofeoprincesasofia.org/en/default/races/race-resultsall

 

 

Official website: www.trofeoprincesasofia.org

 

 

 

Regatta report edited by Jonny Fullerton – Grand Prix Sailing