Canadian sailors' road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games starts next week in Spain

by Sail Canada 27 Mar 19:33 GMT 31 March - 5 April 2025

A total of 19 Canadian sailors will take part in the 54th Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, March 31 to April 5.

For many members of Sail Canada's National Team, the 54th Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, which is part of the Sailing Grand Slam Series, will be their first major sailing event featuring multi-Olympic classes in this new Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle, and their first since last summer's competition in Paris. Among them are 2024 Olympians Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance (RNSYS/CYC) in 49erFX, Emily Bugeja (RVYC) in women's Formula Kite, as well as Will Jones (RHYC) in 49er, who will be kicking off a new partnership with Arie Moffat (KYC/RVYC).

In 49erFX, Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, N.S., will compete for the first time since finishing 11th at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This will be their first event of the new Olympic cycle, which they officially committed to taking on in mid-February.

"We just had our first camp back in the boat after a long post-Paris break," said Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance. "The Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta will be our first regatta of the Los Angeles quad and we are excited to be back and to feel the racing adrenaline again!"

At last year's Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, the sisters finished just off the podium in fourth position.

A new Canadian team in 49er

In 49er, Will Jones and Arie Moffat will now join forces, starting with the 2025 Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta.

Will Jones from Burlington, ON, represented Canada in the 49er class at the last two Olympic Summer Games. He competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with Evan DePaul, finishing 19th, and at Paris 2024 with Justin Barnes, finishing 17th.

Arie Moffat from Kingston, ON, made Canadian history in 2023 with Ryan Wood by becoming the first Canadians ever to qualify and compete in the medal race of a 49er event at a major international event. During the Olympic selection process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Moffat and Hunter Hoy were narrowly beaten out by Jones and Barnes for the Canadian Olympic berth.

"I'm really excited to team up with Arie," said Will Jones. "He is a very driven athlete and he is hungry to compete at the highest level. I think we have complementary individual skill sets, and I'm already learning a lot from his fresh perspective. The 2025 Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta will be a great check-in to see where we are starting at."

"Forming this partnership is about creating the best team and we want to win regattas," added Arie Moffat. "I think each of us brings something to the table. Will's calm presence and years of international and Olympic success will give us a powerful foundation to build on."

19 Canadians in Spain

Emily Bugeja from North Vancouver, B.C., who came in 18th at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in women's Formula Kite, will also be back in action.

Among the 19 Canadians who will be taking part in the 54th Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, other members from Sail Canada's National Team will also be competing, such as Thomas and William Staples from Beaconsfield, QC, in 49er, Clara Gravely and Annie Balasubramanian from Toronto in ILCA 6, James Juhasz and Liam Bruce from Oakville, Ontario, in ILCA 7, as well as Madeline Gillis (Halifax, N.S.) and Galen Richardson (Toronto) in Nacra 17.

Canadian sailors at the 54th Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta

49er