Strong Polish showing at Trofeo Princesa Sofia - Palma regatta kicks off Olympic campaign towards LA 2028

Buksak & Głogowski just miss the podium in 49er class

Poland’s standout performance came from the newly formed 49er duo Dominik Buksak and Adam Głogowski. The pair delivered an impressive performance, qualifying for the medal race and finishing 4th overall—a remarkable result given their brief training history together.

- These were our first regattas with such a strong and numerous fleet. Initially, we approached the event with a purely training-oriented mindset, focused on testing our systems and coordination, said Dominik Buksak. -We didn’t expect to be sailing at such a high level, but when the opportunity for a podium finish appeared, we went for it. It didn’t quite work out in the end, but we don’t see this as a failure. The main goals for our season lie elsewhere, and a medal here would’ve just been a bonus.

Buksak, who finished 5th at the Paris Olympics, joined forces with Głogowski, previously a 49er helm. Their synergy proved immediately effective.

- The result is in line with our training objectives and shows real potential, added head coach Piotr Myszka.

Other Polish highlights – consistency and potential across the fleet

• 49er – just outside the top 10

The experienced crew of Mikołaj Staniul and Jakub Sztroch (AZS AWFiS Gdańsk) narrowly missed the medal race, finishing 11th in a fleet of 91 boats—just two points short of the top 10.

ILCA 6 – Barwińska denied medal race berth after protest ruling

Agata Barwińska (SSW Mos Iława) showed strong form throughout the week, climbing steadily in the rankings. She appeared to secure 10th place and a medal race spot—until a protest by British sailor Hannah Snellgrove was upheld, unexpectedly moving Barwińska down to 11th.

- The British sailor filed for redress from two races she didn’t finish. Although we provided solid evidence that the incident had no material impact on her performance, the jury sided with her, explained Myszka. - This pushed Agata out of the medal race, which was extremely disappointing.

• IQFOiL – Valevich cracks the top 10

In women’s IQFOiL, Anastasiya Valevich (Sopocki Klub Żeglarski) claimed 10th place, though under the updated rules only the top 8 advanced to the finals. Her performance varied—winning races on some days, struggling in others—but showed flashes of high potential.

470 – Skrzypulec-Szota and Wierzbicki make encouraging debut

Olympic silver medalist Agnieszka Skrzypulec-Szota returned to the 470 class, teaming up with Szymon Wierzbicki (AZS Poznań), a Tokyo Olympian in the 49er. The duo ended their debut on 22nd place, a solid result considering it was their first competitive outing together.

- For Szymon, this is his first season in 470. Their collaboration improves with every race. There’s still work to do, but their development trajectory is very positive, said Myszka.

Other Polish results across classes:

• Zofia Korsak & Mikołaj Bazyli (MKS Dwójka Warszawa / KSW Baltic Dziwnów) – 28th in the 470, sailing in gold fleet
• Gabriela Czapska & Hanna Rajchert (Spójnia Warszawa) – 26th in 49erFX
• Izabela Satrjan (UKŻ Wiking Toruń) – 13th in Formula Kite Women
• Paweł Tarnowski (Sopocki Klub Żeglarski) – 13th in IQFOiL Men
• Jan Marciniak (KS AQUA Włocławek) – 22nd in Formula Kite Men
• Filip Jarosiewicz (Sejk Pogoń Szczecin) – 48th in ILCA 7

High-level training opportunity and a look ahead

- These were very productive training regattas. I’m glad to see the team giving full commitment, summed up Piotr Myszka. -Our main targets this season are the European and World Championships. That’s where we aim to be in medal contention.

Despite a few top Olympic teams skipping Palma, the event remained fiercely competitive, showcasing many emerging talents and high-level performances.

- Even without a couple of Olympic medalists, the quality of the field was exceptional, added Buksak. - Sailing evolves quickly, and new teams who trained hard post-Paris are already stepping up.

Next stop: French Olympic Week in Hyères

The Polish sailing team now sets its sights on the French Olympic Week, taking place in Hyères from April 19–26. It will serve as the second stop on the Sailing Grand Slam series, providing another top-tier test ahead of the championship events later in the season.

Full results available at: trofeoprincesasofia.org.