The competition, pitting the country's top youth sailing teams against each other, will take place at the Specialized Center for Sports Training in Sailing Bay of Cádiz (CETDV), located in Puerto Sherry. The organization is managed by the Andalusian Sailing Federation, delegated by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation and the National Secretariat of the International Optimist Class (AECIO).
A total of eight autonomous communities—Andalusia, Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Galicia, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Valencian Community, and Melilla—will be represented by eight sailors each, combining individual competition with team strategy. The 'all against all' direct elimination format (round robin) demands significant coordination to accumulate points as a bloc.
The races will be held on the course situated between the breakwater of the Andalusian Sailing Federation and the Guadalete River. The first start is scheduled for 11:30 AM on Thursday and Friday, moving to 11:00 AM on Saturday, the day reserved for semi-finals and the final. The trophy award ceremony will take place after the races at the CETDV facilities.
The Optimist class constitutes the introductory category for competitive sailing and represents the first step in the sporting careers of many sailors.
The host team, Andalusia, will feature María de las Mercedes Medel, Blanca Marrades, Elena Delgado, and Petra Murube in the female category, and Hugo Quilón, José de Linares, Carlos Barrera, and Mariano Sarmiento in the male category, with technical assistance from Álvaro Martínez Iribarne. Balearic Islands arrives as the reigning champion after their victory in 2025, while in 2022, the win went to the Valencian Community.
This event strengthens the nautical calendar of the Bay of Cádiz and solidifies El Puerto de Santa María as a benchmark for Spanish youth sailing. The Optimist class is fundamental for the development of future sailors in junior and Olympic categories.
