Polish sailors open european season strong with two finals at Trofeo Princesa Sofía

The Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca once again marked the traditional opening of the European sailing season, providing an early benchmark for the world’s top Olympic-class competitors. In this year’s edition, held under highly demanding and variable weather conditions, the Polish Sailing Team secured two appearances in medal races, confirming their competitive standing on the халықаралық stage.

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06 april 2026   |   09:58   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

fot. Sailing Energy

The standout result for Poland came in the 49er class, where Mikołaj Staniul and Jakub Sztorch (KS AZS AWFiS Gdańsk) finished in a strong 6th place overall. The Polish crew demonstrated consistency throughout the regatta and maintained their position during the निर्णш medal series, reinforcing their status among the world’s leading teams.

– We’ve just completed two final races. The first didn’t go our way and we finished sixth, but we managed a solid third place in the second race – said Mikołaj Staniul.

The regatta served as a crucial preparatory stage ahead of the upcoming World Championships.

– These were our last competitions before the World Championships. I think we can be satisfied with our performance. There are still some areas to improve, but that may actually work in our favor, keeping us sharp. We have a month left and we will use it as effectively as possible to prepare for the main event of the season – added Jakub Sztorch.

The crew also highlighted the impact of the newly tested competition format, which, in their view, did not fully reward consistency – a key element of their racing strategy.

– Overall, we can be satisfied. The format tested here in Palma does not necessarily reward consistent sailing, which was our main objective for this regatta, so it’s okay – Jakub Sztorch noted.

In the women’s iQFOiL class, Anastasiya Valkevich (Sopot Sailing Club) advanced to the final stages and ultimately finished 10th. Despite narrowly missing out on a medal, her performance remains a strong positive, as she led the standings for three consecutive days earlier in the regatta.

– The conditions were good, but unfortunately I didn’t manage to win a medal for Poland this time. It was a very good regatta for me – I was leading for three days in such a strong fleet, which is really encouraging. There were a few weaker moments, but I feel fast and confident. It’s a good test ahead of the European Championships – she said after her quarterfinal race.

This year’s regatta on the Bay of Palma proved particularly challenging due to unstable weather patterns. Shifting offshore and thermal winds, combined with periods of strong mistral, required high levels of tactical awareness and adaptability from all competitors.

– Great conditions, although very difficult and variable. We experienced several days of strong mistral winds, which weakened and then picked up again. These were truly demanding conditions. This is the beginning of the European competition season across all Olympic classes. In theory, it’s the start of the season, although sailors compete year-round. However, these are the first major regattas in Europe – said Tomasz Holc, President of the Polish Yachting Association.

The scale of the event underlined its importance, with over 1,200 sailors and more than 800 crews from 62 nations competing across all ten Olympic disciplines.

Several Polish athletes narrowly missed out on medal race qualification, finishing just outside the top ten. Among them were Jan Marciniak (12th in Formula Kite men), Julia Damasiewicz (12th) and Izabela Satrjan (13th) in Formula Kite women, as well as Agata Barwińska (12th in ILCA 6). In the 49erFX class, Gabriela Czapska and Hanna Rajchert placed 16th, while Aleksandra Melzacka and Sandra Jankowiak finished 17th. In the 470 class, Agnieszka Skrzypulec-Szota and Szymon Wierzbicki also concluded the regatta in 17th position.

Head Coach Piotr Myszka emphasized the value of competing at such a high level early in the season.

– We have completed the regatta in Mallorca. It resulted in two medal race appearances for our team. In the 49er class, Kuba and Mikołaj finished sixth – he noted.

– In iQFOiL, Anastasiya finished tenth. It’s a pity she couldn’t maintain her medal position, especially considering her strong start, but we have to remember how competitive this event was. Everyone came here to test themselves. Some succeeded, others slightly less so, but the key takeaway is that our athletes had the opportunity to compete against the best and assess their level – Piotr Myszka added.

Looking ahead, Myszka pointed to the approaching peak of the season.

– The most important championship events are ahead of us. In May, both European and World Championships will take place across nearly all classes. This is the final moment for adjustments. Now the focus must be on fine-tuning performance – he stressed.

Encouraging signs also came from the younger generation of Polish sailors, who are increasingly making their mark internationally.

– We can see that the younger athletes are developing and working hard to execute each start and mark rounding as effectively as possible. They had a solid winter preparation, and these regattas were an important test and an opportunity to experience top-level competition – said Paweł Kołodziński, Youth Team Coordinator. - I’m pleased to see positive moments. It’s worth highlighting Ewa Lewandowska and Anna Zwara, who qualified for the gold fleet in the 49erFX class. It was a strong entry into this level of competition. Not every race went their way, but these experiences are crucial for long-term development and future seasons.

The Polish team will now continue their preparations at the French Olympic Week in Hyères (April 18–25), the second stop of the Sailing Grand Slam series, offering another key opportunity to refine performance ahead of the season’s major championships.

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