Last March was packed with travel, regattas, and training hours for the CETIL sailing team, who picked up their first trophies of the season during the final sprint before the last qualifying event for the 2026 World Championship.
The team returned to Málaga after a year to compete against nearly forty boats in the Trofeo Su Majestad el Rey. Tough wind conditions and a tricky racecourse made it a hard one to read, and they ended up fourth on Sunday, just two points off the podium, in a very high-level regatta.
With the final World Championship qualifier just three weeks away, Martín and Beatriz headed to Galicia for two intense days of training in the Ría de Arosa, where they had very mixed conditions during the more than twelve hours they spent on the water over the weekend.
On March 14th and 15th, the first Trofeo Cadimar took place in Cádiz waters. The Puerto Sherry Yacht Club went all in on the organization, and despite racing not being possible on Saturday due to excessive wind, the event was a success. CETIL Sailing Team managed three first-place finishes, securing their first victory of the year.
Their last chance to fine-tune the boat before the Copa de España came during the Spring Race in Los Nietos—perfect for testing the racecourse, swapping out final lines, and polishing details. The race committee ran three short races that worked as solid practice for both sailors and coaches, and the team came away with very good feelings, finishing second, second, and third.
Finally, the long-awaited weekend arrived for CETIL—one they had been preparing for over a year, since their first World Championship qualifier in Melilla during Easter 2025, where the pair finished tenth. This time they were up against more than ninety crews, including former Olympians, world champions, and European champions, all fighting for a spot in the top ten to qualify for the 2026 World Championship.
Eight races decided the national team selection. Strong southern thermal winds turned the Mar Menor into a tricky race area for the team, who were among the lighter crews. As the weekend went on, the wind eased, which gave them a chance to climb back toward the front of the fleet, scoring among other results a third and a fourth place. In the end, those results were enough to place them ninth in the national ranking.
After just a year and a half sailing together, Martín Bermúdez de la Puente and Beatriz Díaz Norris have qualified to be part of the Spanish team for the upcoming World Championship, which will take place in Mahón this September.
