CNA's young star Marta Cardona takes on the 470 Mixed World Championship with Jordi Xammar

The new mixed 470 sailing team, made up of Catalan sailor Jordi Xammar and Mallorcan sailor Marta Cardona from Club Nàutic s’Arenal, winners of the European Championship gold on May 17, are optimistic about repeating their success at the World Championship, which will be held in Poland from June 9 to 14. They believe they are "at a level where they can aim for everything."

At just 20 years old, Mallorcan sailor Marta Cardona from Club Nàutic s’Arenal has established herself as one of the brightest hopes of Spanish sailing after becoming European champion in the mixed 470 class, teaming up with experienced Catalan sailor Jordi Xammar. This achievement, earned in Split (Croatia) on May 17th, marks the beginning of a new chapter for Cardona, who faces her first World Championship in Gdynia (Poland) with excitement and confidence.

Since teaming up in early April, Xammar and Cardona have proven to be the best mixed 470 pair in the European Championship in Split, the first major competition of the new Olympic cycle leading to Los Angeles 2028. This title was previously won by Xammar last year with former partner Nico Brugman.

The Gdynia World Championship will be the fourth regatta for the new duo, who approach it with the confidence that they can compete at the highest level.

Cardona (born in Palma in 2005), world and European champion in 2021, Youth Sailing World gold medalist, and 2022 World silver medalist, made the leap to the mixed 470 class in December 2024. Now, alongside Jordi Xammar, she is preparing for the Gdynia World Championship.

"The truth is, we have the level to aim for everything. There are some areas that still need to be solidified because we've only been sailing together for 40 days, but we'll focus on bringing out our full potential and sailing the best we can," emphasized the 31-year-old Barcelona native during a virtual press conference organized by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation (RFEV).

According to Xammar, winning the European gold would already make for “an excellent season” in the first year of the new Olympic cycle, but he believes they can go further: "We’re not under pressure. It’s our first World Championship. If we sail at our best level, we can come back with the title. If not, we’ll keep working."

Cardona, 20, said that winning her first medal in the 470 “makes her want to keep sailing” and gives her more motivation to improve alongside Xammar, whom she praised for being “a very ambitious and perfectionist person.”

“He really motivates me and always wants to win. He’s given me a lot of confidence. He brings great experience, and I bring the eagerness to learn. I’ve found an environment of great trust,” said the CNA sailor.

Xisco Gil, Director of Olympic Preparation at the RFEV, highlighted Cardona’s talent and skill despite her young age, and admitted that her adaptation has been impressive.

“I had no doubt she would perform well. That she’d do so this quickly? No. But I’m not surprised, because the quality is there. The most important thing is that there’s still a lot of room for improvement,” Gil noted at the press conference.