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Sailing News for April 03, 2026

Palma is heading into the business end with pressure building across the Olympic fleets, as Harry Price and Max Paul edge into the 49er lead while Spain’s Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona start to open a gap in the 470 despite chaos behind them, proving that steady, mistake-free sailing is winning out over outright speed. Across the skiff and multihull fleets, inconsistent breeze continues to punish even small errors, leaving several classes wide open heading into the final races. Off the water, SailGP quietly strengthened its technical edge with Marlow Ropes stepping in as an official supplier, a reminder that even the smallest systems play a huge role when boats are flying at full speed. And as sailors like Lara Dallman-Weiss point out, the real difference at this level often comes down to mindset, communication, and staying calm when things get messy, something Palma is testing every single race.

Sail GP/America’s Cup

Marlow Ropes Joins SailGP as Official Supplier through 2027 (3 min read)
SailGP just locked in a new behind-the-scenes powerhouse, with Marlow Ropes signing on as official supplier through 2027. It might not sound flashy, but when you’re flying F50s at insane speeds, rope systems are doing a lot of heavy lifting. The deal also brings fan activations and youth programs into the mix, including hands-on splicing workshops. Bonus points for pushing more sustainable materials too. Not the headline-grabber, but definitely part of what keeps these boats ripping.

Olympic Class/Dinghy Sailing

49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 fleets at the 55th Trofeo Princesa Sofía Mallorca – Day 4 (3 min read)
Palma kept things unpredictable and the leaderboard reflects it. Harry Price and Max Paul now lead the 49er fleet after a strong day, edging out the Americans in a tight battle shaped by shifty breeze. Spain’s Paula Barceló and Maria Cantero are just hanging onto the 49erFX lead with steady, low-risk sailing. Meanwhile in the Nacra 17, nobody could string together a clean day, leaving the whole fleet wide open. Going into the final stretch, it’s less about speed and more about who makes the fewest mistakes.

Sailfaster with Lara Dallman Weiss (3 min read)
Ever wonder what actually makes boats faster? Lara Dallman-Weiss says it’s not just technique, it’s how you think, communicate, and handle pressure when things get messy. On the Sailfaster podcast, she breaks down sailing as nonstop problem-solving, where calm decisions beat flashy moves. The real gains come from small improvements that stack up over time, especially within a well-aligned team. Less magic trick, more mindset and consistency done right.

Leaderboard Tightens Behind Dominant Spanish Leaders in Palma (3 min read)
Palma turned it on again and Jordi Xammar with Marta Cardona are starting to run away with it. The Spanish duo stretched their lead to a solid ten points with another steady day, while the chasing pack keeps tripping over each other in tight, high-level racing. The British team grabbed a win but couldn’t keep it clean, and the rest of the fleet is stacked within striking distance. One mistake still changes everything, but right now, Spain’s looking very comfortable up front.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Catamarans look like the dream boat until you dig into the trade-offs. They crush it on space, comfort, and stability, but things get messy offshore with slamming, tricky upwind performance, and a motion that not everyone loves. Ownership is where it really hits, with higher costs, limited marina space, and more maintenance than people expect. Then there’s the big one, they don’t self-right, which keeps traditional sailors skeptical. Bottom line, cats aren’t bad boats, they just solve the fun problems first and leave the hard ones for later.