Balearic Nacho Baltasar and Andrea Torres lead the Spanish team at the iQFOiL U23 World Champs

The Spanish delegation is led by Olympic sailor Nacho Baltasar from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita and Mallorcan Andrea Torres from Club Nàutic s’Arenal. The races begin today, September 8th.

From September 6th to 13th, Portimão (Portugal) hosts the iQFOiL U23 World Championship, the Olympic windsurfing class. The Royal Spanish Sailing Federation (RFEV) presents a team combining international experience and youth, headed by Olympian Nacho Baltasar (Paris 2024) and Mallorcan Andrea Torres.

The event, organized by the Club Naval de Portimão, will gather the best U23 iQFOiL specialists, with over 140 athletes from 31 countries. Spanish sailing is building both present and future in one of the most spectacular Olympic classes, and this World Championship is a key opportunity not only to compete against the international elite but also to consolidate the experience of Olympic athletes and the emerging talent of the RFEV’s Strategic 2032 Project.

The RFEV delegation includes members of the pre-Olympic team: Nacho Baltasar (CN Sa Ràpita), Andrea Torres (CN Arenal), and Bernat Tomàs (CN Arenal). From the 2032 project, competitors include Bárbara Winau (CN Arenal), Julia Gómez (CN El Balís), and Alex Martí (CM Altafulla), while Enrichetta Bettini (RCN Gran Canaria) participates as part of the N3 group.

With daily races scheduled from today, Monday the 8th, in three possible competition formats – Course Racing, Sprint Racing, or Marathon – the championship will take place in three phases: Qualifying, Final, and Medal Series. The Medal Series, reserved for the top eight competitors, will decide the U23 world title on September 13, the final day.

Nacho Baltasar, 11th at Paris 2024, arrives in Portugal not only directly from his vacation but also on a race course new to him. Far from seeing this as a disadvantage, the Mallorcan sailor says, “Starting the routine with a World Championship is always motivating. I’ve never been to Portimão, but it’s known for strong winds, and I’ve always enjoyed high-wind conditions, so we’re going to enjoy that.”

“In this case, it’s a U23 World Championship, and we’re treating it as training for the Dutch Water Week [in the Netherlands], where we’ll compete the following week. But we’ll gain maximum experience, measure ourselves against a slightly smaller fleet than usual, and enjoy Portugal and sailing. We’re going to give it our all!” he added.

The Royal Spanish Sailing Federation is funded by the High Council for Sports, the Spanish Olympic Committee, and Universo Mujer, and sponsored by Iberdrola, Quirónprevención, and Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. Official suppliers include Azul Marino, Murimar Seguros, Nippon Express, Marinepool, and Enovis, with institutional collaborators ADESP, World Sailing, and the Port of Santander.