Trofeo Princesa Sofía 2024 sailing: Australia’s Breiana Whitehead wins gold medal; Zoe Thomson bags silver

Australian sailor Breiana Whitehead won the gold medal in women’s formula kite while Zoe Thomson clinched the silver medal in the women’s dinghy at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía 2024 sailing event in Spain on Saturday.

Competing at the Bay of Palma, the 23-year-old Whitehead claimed the top spot with a net total of 42. USA’s Daniela Moroz, a five-time world champion and the overwhelming favourite at the meet, false started twice and claimed silver. Germany’s Leonie Meyer, with a net total of 56, won the bronze medal.

Whitehead secured a quota for Australia in sailing for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the World Championships last year and was selected in the Australian sailing team that will compete at the Marseille Marina when the Summer Games begin.

In the women’s dinghy (ILCA 6 class), Zoe Thomson was the runner-up with 97 net points. Hungary’s Maria Erdi (90 net points) won the gold medal while Great Britain’s Matilda Nicholls (100 net points), settled for bronze. Lower net points are better in sailing.

Meanwhile, Olympic and world champion Matthew Wearn, who is also in Australia’s Paris Olympics-bound sailing team, missed out on a medal in the men’s dinghy (ILCA 7 class) after finishing fifth.

Trofeo Princesa Sofía is a part of the sailing World Cup Series. Competitions in all 10 Olympic events were held during the week-long sailing meet. Over 1100 sailors from 76 nations, including 46 from Australia, took part in the Trofeo Princesa Sofía.