Princess Sofia Regatta kicks off in Palma, Spain

Racing is underway for members of the NZL Sailing Team competing at Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE 2010 Regatta in Palma de Majorca, Spain, the opener on the 2010 Olympic class European circuit. Light and unstable winds, in the order of 6-8 knots, prevailed across the race courses on day one.

Tom Ashley has made a strong start in the Men’s RS:X board sailing sitting in third place overall after two races sailed today. In a fleet of 72 the reigning Olympic champion placed third in race one and sixth in race two giving him a total of nine points at this early stage in the six day regatta.

Shahar Zubari (ISR), bronze medallist in the 2008 Olympic Games, takes the early lead in the Men’s RS:X with two bullets on the first day of racing.

Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie also made a strong start to the regatta in the Women’s 470 double-handed dinghy class. Opening the series with a race win, the kiwi girls then placed 13th in the second race of the day to sit in fifth position overall in a strong fleet of 41.

Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders represent New Zealand in the Men’s 470, and have opened the regatta with a solid start. With 93 entries the Men’s 470 division is split into two fleets for the qualifying round, and just one race was completed today. Snow-Hansen and Saunders were fourth in their race giving them a share of seventh place overall.

New Zealand has six sailors in the Laser class which totals 131 boats. After day one of racing there are two kiwis placed within the top ten of the fleet, including Andrew Murdoch in seventh place and Michael Bullot in ninth. Murdoch, New Zealand’s representative at the 2008 Olympic Games, returned a fourth and an eighth in today’s two races, while Bullot was 12th and then fourth.

Just four places back in 12th place at this early stage is Andy Maloney who in race two today crossed the line in second place ahead of Murdoch and Bullot. Maloney was 16th in his opening race.

Just one race was sailed in the Laser Radial, with New Zealand’s Sara Winther placing 16th. And Kate Ellingham is the best placed of the two kiwi women board sailors lying 13th after day one.

The schedule allows for six days of racing in total in the Olympic and Paralympic classes with the winners set to be decided on March 2nd in Spain. This is the third of seven events in the 2009-10 ISAF Sailing World Cupseries after Melbourne and Miami.

The New Zealand team is supported by coaches Ian Neely, Mark Howard, Nathan Handley, Jez Fanstone and David Robertson.

See the regatta website for news, history, entry lists, and results.