The Balearic Islands, present at the iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championship

Around ten sailors from Club Nàutic s’Arenal and Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa will compete from Friday, 3rd of July, in Ballena Alegre, Girona, where 399 participants from 36 countries will gather.

This Friday, 3rd of July, the waters of Ballena Alegre, in Sant Pere Pescador (Girona), will host the iQFOiL Youth & Junior World Championship, one of the major international events in youth sailing. For eight days, until the 10th of July, 399 sailors from 36 nations will compete on the Costa Brava for the world titles in the Under-17 and Under-19 categories.

A strong Balearic contingent will be among the international fleet. A total of ten young sailors from Club Nàutic s’Arenal (CNA) and Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa (CMSAP) will represent the islands across the different men’s and women’s categories.

The Balearic delegation will be represented in every age group. In the Under-19 women’s category, CMSAP will be represented by Marta Juncal, while CNA will have a notable presence in the Under-19 men’s division, with Jorge Ruiz, Juan Juan, Jordi Cerdà and Miquel Servera.

In the Under-17 women’s category, the Balearic Islands will be represented by Bruna Frontera of CMSAP and Patricia Orosa of CNA. Meanwhile, the Under-17 men’s division will bring together three young Balearic sailors: Francisco Paco and Enric Patiño of CNA, and Arian Castro of CMSAP.

The World Championship at Ballena Alegre will be a demanding test for the islands’ emerging talent. The competition will bring together some of the world’s top specialists of their generation in a discipline characterised by speed, technical skill and the ability to adapt to changing wind and sea conditions.

The sporting programme will include course racing, sprint and marathon events, as well as final series in which the highest-ranked sailors will battle for medals. The organisers are expecting an intense week of competition, with the opening races scheduled from Saturday, 4th of July, and the decisive day set for Friday, 10th of July, when the final races will be held and the prize-giving ceremony will take place.

The participation of ten Balearic athletes in an event of this level once again highlights the development work carried out by the islands’ sailing clubs. CNA will contribute seven sailors to the competition, while CMSAP will have three representatives, reflecting the importance of the Balearic Islands in Spanish youth sailing.

For these young sailors, the championship will be an opportunity to compete against rivals from around the world, gain international experience and assess their progress in one of the season’s most important events. With representation in all four categories, the Balearic team heads to the Costa Brava aiming to fly the flag for the islands.