Cape 31 Princess Sofia Trophy Palma
Cape 31 – Princess Sofia Trophy Palma, 24.–27. March 2026, Palma, Mallorca, Spain | The Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma marks the start of Black Star Sailing’s 2026 campaign in the Cape 31 class. The team returns to the Bay of Palma having already used the C31 Palma Winter Series – Act 3 at the end of February as a valuable training opportunity, allowing the newly assembled Cape 31 crew to focus on procedures, communication and overall boat handling. Following several days of training starts, manoeuvre drills and speed testing, the Princess Sofia Trophy now provides the first true racing benchmark for the refreshed Black Star Sailing Cape 31 line-up.
Palma has long been regarded as one of the traditional early-season venues in international sailing. The wide bay offers reliable thermal breezes, open race courses and conditions that reward both technical sailing and precise teamwork on board. As a result, the regatta attracts a competitive fleet each year, bringing together teams from Olympic classes as well as several international racing circuits. For Black Star Sailing, the event carries particular relevance as the team already launched its Cape 31 campaign here in 2025, providing useful reference points. This year’s return comes with a revised crew structure but also with considerably greater familiarity with the boat.
The Princess Sofia Trophy therefore signals not only the beginning of a new season but also the start of a new phase in the Cape 31 programme. After a first year on the Mediterranean circuit, Black Star Sailing will shift its focus further north in 2026. Later in the season the team is set to compete in the Cape 31 UK Series for the first time – a championship held in the tide-influenced waters along England’s south coast. For the team this represents a new and different sailing environment: strong currents, tidal windows and constantly changing conditions demand a different tactical approach compared with the mainly thermal courses of the Mediterranean. At the same time, the concentration of events around the Solent and nearby venues offers logistical advantages and allows for a tighter racing schedule.
While the Cape 31 campaign will gradually move towards Great Britain as the season progresses, the RC44 programme will also build momentum in parallel. Shortly after the season opener in Palma, the focus within Black Star Sailing will shift back to the Mediterranean, where the RC44 fleet will contest the next events of the 44Cup racing series. Palma therefore effectively marks the starting point for both programmes, setting the tone for a regatta calendar that will soon gather pace.