Team Bassadone-Clark share their thoughts ahead of the Princess Sofia Regatta...

We re back in Palma, and it feels like coming home again! We ve done two training camps here recently and over the years have spent much of our time at this venue.

We had two really successful training camps with the 470 British squad and a new coach, Steve Irish. Steve is a past 420 World Champion, previous 470 campaigner, Accountant and now full time coach! Due to other coaching commitments he s unable to join us for the regatta in Palma; however we re looking forward to working with him again in Hyeres later this month.

The first regatta of the European season, the Princess Sofia Regatta, starts this Sunday (9 April). With a record number of 57 women s 470s we should have some great racing. It has got to that time in the Olympic cycle where people have had their break after the 2004 Olympic Games, now everyone is back, along with a lot of newcomers too, to have a shot at that all important Olympic selection for their country.

Although we raced in Miami earlier this year with many of the top 10 boats from last year s worlds, this really does feel like the first big regatta of the season and with a lot more boats than we have seen for a long while. It will be a real tester as to how everyone has come on over the winter training months. Who will be the top boats to look out for? And how will we match up in comparison?

Christina explains: I always get nervous at this time of year, going into this event and funnily enough it s an event I ve always enjoyed and generally done well at, with a bronze medal last year.

I have 100% confidence in our training regime that we set out after the World Championships last year, and truly believe we have come on in leaps and bounds in all areas from fitness, strength, nutrition, boat handling skills, our technical knowledge, mental toughness and of course boat speed and technique.

This event will be a real tester to measure up against some of the world s toughest competition. Those of you that know me well, will know I like to push myself and I m not gonna lie I REALLY want to win this event! I believe it will set us off on the right foot for the rest of the year, and Olympic cycle.