2026 Princess Sofia Regatta, Day 4: Kiwis battle through tough day as medal showdown looms

It was another demanding day on the water for New Zealand’s sailors at the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, with tricky, shifty conditions again testing the fleet on Day 4 as the regatta builds toward its medal race showdown.

George Gautrey continues to set the pace for the Kiwis. After three races in the elimination series, he sits eighth overall and remains well placed inside the top 10, tracking toward the finals. Further back, Caleb Armit (77th) and George Pilkington (84th) are contesting the silver fleet.

In the ILCA 6 fleet, Greta Pilkington added a sixth-place finish in a gold fleet race to her tally, maintaining a consistent series. She is now 22nd overall, with three more races to come overnight (NZ time), offering a chance to climb.

Stella Bilger is still within reach of the top 10 in the women’s iQFOiL. After four gold fleet races, she sits 16th, 12 points outside the cut. Veerle ten Have claimed a race win in the silver fleet and is 36th overall, while Aimee Bright is 39th.

Stella Bilger is 16th in the women's iQFOiL. Photos / Sailing Energy

In the men’s iQFOiL fleet, Eli Liefting is 43rd and Blake Hinsley 92nd.

Two Kiwi 49er crews are both in the gold fleet, with Mattias Coutts and Oscar Gunn in 22nd and Francesco Kayrouz and Hamish McLaren in 23rd. In the silver fleet, Sam Bacon and Blake McGlashan are 45th.

At the front of the 49er fleet, the lead continues to change hands between Australian and American crews who have close ties to New Zealand through training blocks out of Torbay. Sydney pair Harry Price and Max Paul moved into the overall lead after a strong day that included a race win and a second, overturning the overnight advantage held by Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid.

In the Nacra 17, Micah Wilkinson and Kate Stewart are building steadily in their new partnership. They are now up to 14th overall after the opening gold fleet races.

It was a mixed day across that fleet, with no team managing to string together a perfect set of results in the unsettled conditions. Sweden’s Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson continue to lead overall, while Argentina’s Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco remain close despite an inconsistent day.
Lucy Bilger is 23rd in the women's kitefoil, while in the men's competition, the Kiwi trio of Toby Wigglesworth (31st), Lochy Naismith (37th) and Lukas Walton-Keim (39th) are battling it out in the silver fleet.

Latest results and standings here.