Six Balearic Crews Compete for the 420 Youth European Championship

The Lithuanian town of Nida is hosting the 420 Youth European Championship until 27 July, one of the most important events on the international youth sailing calendar, bringing together Europe’s leading crews in the Mixed, U17 and Open categories.

Nearly 200 crews from France, Italy, Great Britain, Germany, Greece and Hungary, as well as Brazil, the United States and Israel, among others, begin competing today against the Spanish team in the Baltic Sea. The national squad includes six highly accomplished Balearic crews.

Club Nàutic S’Arenal will be the Balearic club with the strongest presence at the championship, represented by eight sailors: Lucas Montoya and Nicolás Montoya; Sean Sadler and Fermín Jaume; Neus Fernández and Martina Gomila; as well as the crews of Amalia Coll, from Club Nàutic S’Arenal, and Laia Mattos, from Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa; and Asier Jaudenes, from Club Nàutic S’Arenal, and Juan Benítez, from Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença.

The 2025 overall world champions and current Spanish champions, Neus Fernández and Martina Gomila, will be aiming to add another title to their sporting careers. However, they will face strong competition from Club Nàutic Cala Gamba sailors Beatriz Quintana and Savina Vicens, who recently claimed bronze at the World Championship held in France.

Amalia Coll and Laia Mattos, meanwhile, enter the championship after completing an outstanding transition to the Open category. The sailors were crowned U17 world champions in 2025 and have already demonstrated their competitiveness this year with a fifth-place finish at the Spanish Championship and a top-ten result at the Open World Championship.

The opening races begin on Wednesday, 22 July, marking the start of a championship in which the Balearic contingent will aim to maintain the high competitive level it has demonstrated at the leading national and international events in the 420 Class.