Canada’s Lewin-LaFrance sisters claim sailing gold in Grand Slam regatta

PALMA — Canadian sailors Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance won the gold medal in the 49erFX class in the Princess Sofia Trophy on Saturday.

The sisters from Chester, N.S., started the day in second and a point behind reigning world champions Paula Barcelo and Maria Cantero of Spain.

The Lewin-LaFrance siblings took over the lead in the last race of the competition to claim gold in the first Grand Slam regatta of the season.

The top 10 teams in qualifying competed in the two final races. The Canadians carried over their accumulated net points minus those from their worst performance.

Antonia and Georgia were fourth and the Spanish ranked first in the first race of the final.

But Barcelo and Cantero dropped to 10th in the second race. The Canadians placed fifth to take over the points lead.

Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer from Germany earned the silver medal and the Spaniards the bronze.

Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance were bronze medallists in the world championship and gold medallists in the European championship last year.

They placed 11th in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The Canadians will compete in the second of five regattas in this year’s Grand Slam series April 18-25 in the French Olympic Week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2026.