The Kiwi pair claimed their first world title in the class in Marseille last September and have remained at home since, taking part in a number of practice races, but are returning to competitive action in Mallorca, Spain, where they took silver last year.

"It's been September since we last raced so we're really excited to line up against all of the other 49erFX fleet again," said Maloney.

"We had a really good summer at home.

"We had a few international teams come down for different lengths of time.

"The Dutch were down all summer and the Brazilians were there so it was a good Kiwi summer.

"We've had some really good practice races with most of the fleet; there have been 30 plus boats on the line.

"They've been fun and everyone's getting more and more competitive so it's going to be a good week."

The 49erFX class looks set to be one of the most competitive this week, with Danes Marie Baad Nielsen and Marie Thusgaard Olsen returning to defend their title, while Melbourne World Cup winners Olivia Price and Eliza Solly of Australia, French duo Sarah Steyaert and Julie Bossard - who took gold last time out in Miami - and world number ones Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze of Brazil will also battle it out.

Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze of Brazil will be challenging for honours in Mallorca this week ©Getty Images



There will also be New Zealand interest in the 49er category, as world champions Peter Burling and Blair Tuke challenge for honours.

They will be up against defending Mallorca champions Erik Heil and Thomas Ploessel of Germany and Danish pair Jonas Warrer and Peter Lang.

In the men's 470 class, all eyes will be on Australian Mat Belcher who will be looking to get back to winning ways after his 18-regatta winning streak was halted on the waters of Biscayne Bay last time out.

Belcher and partner Will Ryan surprisingly lost out to French duo Sofian Bouvet and Jeremie Mion in Miami, who claimed their first International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Cup win.

The women's 470 category is wide open with the absence of the world's two top crews, Sophie Weguelin and Eilidh McIntyre of Great Britain and Austrians Lara Vadlau and Jolanta Ogar.

Former world number ones Fernanda Oliveira and Ana Luiza Barbachan will be in Mallorca, while 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie of New Zealand, Britain's London 2012 silver medallists Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark and American pair Anne Haeger and Briana Provancha, currently ranked number three in the world, look set to challenge for the podium.

Olympic silver medallists Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark will be hoping to challenge for the podium in the 470 class ©Getty Images



The laser class is the biggest fleet in Mallorca, with 144 sailors registered, and is closely followed by the laser radial on 96 and the finns on 92.

Seventy-three Nacra 17s will be competing with 72 men's RS:X and 56 women's RS:X sailors ready for the first start.

Around 1,330 sailors from 55 countries are expected to take part in the fourth World Cup event of the season in Mallorca which runs from today through until Saturday (April 5).

"The 2013-2014 Sailing World Cup Series has seen some excellent racing across three world class venues," said ISAF Sailing World Cup manager Antonio González de la Madrid.

"ISAF Sailing World Cup Mallorca - Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia is the fourth of five regattas and I expect to see the same high standards of competition and race management that have been present beforehand.

"Throughout the history of the event in Mallorca we have seen excellent racing on Palma Bay.

"This year the forecast looks set to offer a mixture of conditions that will put all of the sailors' skills to the test."

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