 The 54th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels, a key event marking the start of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic sailing cycle, concluded on Saturday with a dramatic finale on the Bay of Palma. Bermudian sailors Sebastian Kempe and Adriana Penruddocke were among the competitors facing the final challenges of the regatta.
Great Britain's Micky Beckett, already a Paris 2024 representative, demonstrated his exceptional skill and familiarity with the waters of Palma. He extended his impressive record, securing his fourth successive victory in the highly competitive 176-boat ILCA 7 class (Men’s singlehander).
Kempe, competing in this challenging fleet, showed some improvement in his final day's performance. He moved up slightly to 44th place after finishes of 53rd in the first race (the ninth of the series) and then achieved his second-best finish of the regatta, crossing the line in 7th place. Kempe concluded the regatta with 251 net points.
The Women’s ILCA 6 class provided a different narrative, with the lead changing hands and the outcome uncertain heading into the Medal Race. Australia’s Zoe Thomson, the 2023 runner-up, held a narrow three-point lead over Brit Daisy Collingridge. The competition was further complicated by the withdrawal of Hungary’s Maria Erdi, the defending champion, who had been leading overall but was forced to withdraw due to a recurrence of a back injury that had previously hampered her Olympic ambitions.
Unfortunately, the regatta remained challenging for Adriana Penruddocke in the 113-boat ILCA 6 fleet. She finished the regatta with 212 net points and ended in 53rd place overall. Penruddocke faced a disqualification in the first race of the day, before improving slightly to finish 31st in the second race.
The Troféo Princesa Sofía Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels proved to be a demanding and significant event, setting the stage for the upcoming Olympic cycle. While the Bermudian sailors faced challenges, their participation provided valuable experience at a high level of competition.
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