Australian Sailing Team Set for Season Opener at Sailing Grand Slam

Matt Wearn Returns to the Trofeo Princesa Sofía © Beau Outteridge / Australian Sailing Team

The Australian Sailing Team (AST) will launch its international season this week at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía Sailing Grand Slam in Palma, Spain, with 38 Australian entries spread across all 10 Olympic classes.

As one of the largest and most competitive regattas on the calendar, Palma offers a unique early-season test. Fleets are stacked, racing is relentless, and the conditions are famously varied, a combination that makes it one of the most valuable indicators of progress after months of training at home.

Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn is relishing the return to high-density international racing, his first major international since his record breaking second consecutive Olympic gold medal in Marseille back in August 2024.

"I am looking forward to getting back into the bigger fleets again. There is something about the chaos of 75 boats in each fleet that puts the pressure on, and I think I am going to enjoy that again," Wearn said.

"This event always offers a good variety of conditions, which I think makes for a great regatta. It also marks the start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere, so everyone wants to show what they have got after a long period without racing so the level is really high."

Breiana Whitehead with the overall trophy at the 2024 Trofeo Princesa Sofía - photo © Sailing Energy

Previous overall winner of the regatta, and Paris 2024 Olympian Breiana Whitehead is also eager to get her campaign under way.

"It's been a while since racing with the international fleet for me," shared Whitehead. "So I'm keen to check back in after a summer down under. I think this regatta is a great way to start the European season with all the Olympic classes in one venue and usually has a good range of conditions to race in."

The regatta is also a key moment for performance assessment across the squad, AST Technical Director Michael Blackburn explained how the Trofeo Princesa Sofia plays a critical role in shaping the season ahead.

"Palma is where the season really starts for us, it's the first major European regatta and a chance to benchmark ourselves against the best in the world. It gives us a really clear picture of where we're at and what we need to sharpen as we head deeper into the LA28 campaign.

"Conditions this week look set to be a mix, with some shifty offshore breeze in the forecast. That typically puts a premium on decision-making and staying in phase, so it's a great early test for the group."

Breiana Whitehead racing the Formula Kite at 2023 Sail Sydney - photo © Beau Outteridge

Racing gets under way on Monday 30 March, with competition running throughout the week before Medal Races on Saturday 4 April, where a new format will also be trialled. The Australian contingent is ready to take on the world's best and set the tone for the season ahead.

Full list of entries can be found here

Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (AS Squad), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF), State Sailing Performance Program (SSPP) and other Australian (AUS) entries at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta:

ILCA 6
Elyse Ainsworth (AST)
Mara Stransky (AST)
Zoe Thomson (AST)
Casey Imeneo (AS Squad)
Evie Saunders (AS Squad)
Ellen Sampson (ASF)
Lili McAullay (ASF)
Sylvie Stannage (AUS)
Frances Beebe (AUS)

ILCA 7
Matt Wearn (AST)
Ethan McAullay (AST)
Zac Littlewood (AST)
Michael Compton (AS Squad)
Lawson McAullay (AS Squad)
Isaac Schotte (AS Squad)
Alexander Bijkerk (SSPP)

iQFOiL - Men
Grae Morris (AST)
Rory Meehan (AS Squad)
Phillip Crispey (ASF)
Jarrod Jones (ASF)
Matthew Quinlan (SSPP)

iQFOiL - Women
Anna Crispey (ASF)
Amelia Wilson (ASF)
Sammie Costin (AUS)

Formula Kite - Men
Oscar Timm (SSPP)

Formula Kite - Women
Brieana Whitehead (AST)

Nacra 17
Brin Liddell / Rhiannan Brown (AST)
Ruben Booth / Rita Booth (AS Squad)
Archie Gargett / Sarah Hoffman (AS Squad)
Jake Liddell / Niamh Meehan (AS Squad)

49er
Jack Ferguson / Jack Hilderbrand (AS Squad)
Otto Henry / Shaun Connor (AS Squad)
Harry Price / Max Paul (AS Squad)

49erFX
Laura Harding / Annie Wilmot (AS Squad)
Brooke Wilson (ASF) / Evie Haseldine (AS Squad)

470
Sienna Brown / Ellis Merrit (ASF)
Ben Hinks / Fallon Katz (ASF)
Sophie Jackson / Austin Cross (ASF)
Alice Buchanan / Angus Higgins (SSPP)