New Zealand’s Micah Wilkinson is back on the Nacra 17 circuit with a fresh partnership and renewed energy, teaming up with girlfriend Kate for their first regatta together at the prestigious Trofeo Princesa Sofía in Palma de Mallorca.
The move comes after Wilkinson’s former crew Erica Dawson stepped away from the campaign to pursue a new chapter in her career. Wilkinson and Dawson had been one of New Zealand’s prominent Nacra 17 combinations, competing on the international stage across multiple World Cup events and championship regattas. Dawson’s departure marked the end of a notable partnership, but Wilkinson has wasted no time in getting back on the water.
A New Partnership Takes Shape
With Kate joining him on the foiling catamaran, Wilkinson is effectively rebuilding from the ground up — a challenge that any mixed multihull sailor knows demands patience, communication, and a willingness to learn each other’s instincts on the boat. The Nacra 17 is one of the most physically and technically demanding classes in Olympic sailing, requiring seamless coordination between helm and crew as the foiling catamaran reaches speeds well in excess of 20 knots.
By all accounts, the pair have been keeping the atmosphere light and enjoyable as they find their feet together. But Trofeo Princesa Sofía, held annually on the Bay of Palma, is no casual outing. The event is one of the most significant regattas on the Olympic classes calendar, drawing the world’s best sailors to Spain each spring. The regatta has long served as a proving ground for emerging partnerships and a barometer of form heading into the European racing season.
From Foiling Catamarans to Electric Powerboats
Wilkinson’s return to the Nacra 17 is particularly intriguing given his recent exploits beyond the world of sailing. The Kiwi has been making waves as a driver in the E1 Series, the world’s first electric powerboat racing championship. The UIM E1 World Championship has attracted a growing roster of athletes from across the marine sports world, and Wilkinson’s experience handling high-speed foiling craft in the Nacra 17 has clearly translated well to the cockpit of an electric RaceBird.
His dual involvement in both the cutting-edge E1 circuit and the Olympic Nacra 17 class speaks to Wilkinson’s versatility and appetite for competition at the highest level. The crossover between foiling sailboats and foiling powerboats has become an increasingly common pathway for elite sailors, with the shared skillsets of reading water conditions, managing foil dynamics, and making split-second tactical decisions proving highly transferable.
What Lies Ahead
For Wilkinson and Kate, Trofeo Princesa Sofía represents the first real test of their fledgling combination. The Nacra 17 fleet remains fiercely competitive in the post-Paris 2024 Olympic cycle, with established teams from Italy, Great Britain, Argentina, and across Europe continuing to push the boundaries of performance in the class. New combinations often take several regattas to find genuine pace, but the experience Wilkinson brings — both from his years in the Nacra 17 and his E1 racing exploits — gives this partnership a strong foundation to build upon.
The coming months will reveal whether this new Kiwi team can develop into genuine contenders on the international circuit. For now, the sailing community will be watching with interest as Wilkinson begins writing the next chapter of his Nacra 17 career alongside a new partner and with a broader competitive perspective than ever before.
