Marta Cardona aims to retain 470 Mixed World Championship title in Japan

Club Nàutic S’Arenal sailor Marta Cardona and Jordi Xammar head into the World Championships in Enoshima as reigning world champions after winning the title in 2025. A total of 74 crews will compete at the Japanese event.

Club Nàutic S’Arenal sailor Marta Cardona faces one of the major challenges of the season from next week: defending her title at the 470 Mixed World Championship, which will bring together 74 international crews in Enoshima, Japan.

Cardona will once again team up with Jordi Xammar, alongside whom she arrives in Japan as the reigning world champion. The pair won the world title together in 2025 and will now look to repeat that success against a large and highly competitive international fleet.

The championship will take place from the 10th to the 17th of August at Enoshima Yacht Harbor, in Kanagawa Prefecture. The first two days will be devoted to registration, measurement checks and the practice race, before the scoring races begin on Wednesday, 12th of August.

With 74 boats taking part, the fleet will be divided into two groups during the qualifying stage. The schedule includes five qualifying races, after which the crews will progress to the final series according to their results. The top ten will then advance to the Medal Series, consisting of two races and reserved for the teams still in contention for the leading positions on the final day.

For Marta Cardona and Jordi Xammar, the competition also brings the added challenge of starting as one of the benchmark teams following their success last year. The pair will aim to remain among the elite of the 470 class and once again challenge for the medals in Japanese waters.

Club Nàutic S’Arenal will also be represented by Silvia Mas, who will compete at the World Championship alongside Alejandro de Maqua, completing the club’s line-up at the international event.

The decisive races will take place on Monday, 17th of August, when the final races of the series and the Medal Series are scheduled to determine the new 470 Mixed world champions.

The Sagami area will be the preferred race course throughout the championship, while the Medal Series races will be held in Enoshima. Fujisawa will serve as the alternative race area depending on weather conditions and the progress of the competition.

Marta Cardona therefore heads to Enoshima with another opportunity to add to her international honours and, alongside Jordi Xammar, defend the world crown they won in 2025 against a fleet of 74 crews.