From Juniors to Contenders: A New Era in the 470 Fleet
by International 470 Class Association 13 Apr 08:55 BST
55th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by FERGUS Hotels © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca
The 470 fleet is evolving fast, with a new generation already stepping up and challenging the top level. Within it, we can find mature and highly experienced competitors with a strong regatta background, including Olympic and World Championship medallists. At the same time, year by year, more and more young sailors are appearing, determined to push the limits, without a doubt.
The new generation is gaining momentum, entering the class with a clear focus on senior competition and the Olympic pathway. Sailors from around the world are beginning their serious and responsible journey toward top-level senior events and the Olympic Games. Let's take a closer look at the fleet and see who stands out.
From 420 Champion to 470 World Leader
One of the strongest personalities among the young generation in the 470 fleet is Spain's Marta Cardona, who at the age of 20 was named Youth World Sailor of the Year 2025 by World Sailing.
After becoming European and World Champion in the 420 class with María Perelló, Cardona made her debut in the 470 Mixed class alongside Jordi Xammar from Barcelona during the Trofeo Princesa Sofía in April 2025. By May, they had already become European champions, and by June, World Champions.
This year, Cardona has already claimed a bronze medal at the European Championships in Vilamoura and secured victory at the first Sailing Grand Slam event of the season.
With such rapid success at the highest level, Cardona is already establishing herself as one of the key figures shaping the future of the 470 class.
Slovenian Sailors Step Up on the Big Stage
Martin Fras and Mija Škerlavaj arrived at the first Sailing Grand Slam event of the season from Slovenia. The JK Pirat club representatives skipped the European Championships in Vilamoura and instead kicked off their campaign at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía. The Slovenian duo finished the regatta in 25th place, racing in the Gold Fleet during the final three days.
"It's going surprisingly well, we didn't expect this", said Martin Fras after the qualification series.
The 21-year-old Slovenian team last competed in senior events two years ago. Now, after more than 24 months away from racing, they are already showing they can compete at a high level.
"We started sailing together in 2022, but in the beginning we didn't have a coach and trained on our own at home. Later, we began competing in Junior Championships. The last senior event we did was two years ago, so this regatta was mainly to see where we stand and how much progress we've made over that time. So far, it's going really well", explained Mija.
The Slovenian team's goal for this season is to consistently compete and fight for top results at the Junior World and European Championships.
A Promising Start for Norway's Young Duo
At the beginning of March, Victor Lööf from Norway turned 17 years old. One of the youngest sailors in the fleet has racing in his roots. Lööf formed a pair with the very talented Julia Jacobsen, and they both train under the guidance of Victor's father, Fredrik Lööf.
Fredrik Lööf has a strong sailing background, as he is a three-time Olympic medalist (gold and bronze in the Star class, and bronze in the Finn class) and a five-time world champion. How does this affects the team, especially his son?
"I think it's a big advantage because when I'm with him, even when we're not sailing, he always talks about sailing, and it helps me improve as a sailor", said Victor.
The Norwegian team started the season impressively, finishing the Europeans in 16th place.
It was our first Gold Fleet together, Julia and I, so we've made good progress since we started. It's really positive. Well, I think we try not to take it too seriously and just enjoy the whole journey. I think that also helps us improve on the water. If we have fun in the boat park, always smiling, it makes the whole process more enjoyable while still improving.
Strong Italian Impact
From Italy, three very promising junior teams stand out. Livia Ciampinelli and Nicola Brunotti are a duo who won the bronze medal at last year's 470 Junior World Championship and are now also competing in senior events. Emma Maltese and Marcello Miliardi, as well as Lisa Vucetti and Vittorio Bonifacio, are also making their mark.
Coming from the 420 class, Lisa and Vittorio have already achieved top results at youth level: a 420 Youth World Championship title, two European Championship gold medals, and two silver and one bronze medal at the 420 World Championships.
"We started sailing together in January last year, and it's going pretty well. We've already competed in two senior championships, and this is our third one. Last year we raced at the Europeans in Split, and this year in Vilamoura, which went really well as we managed to qualify for the Gold Fleet. We still have many years ahead of us, and we just keep working", they said.
The main goal is the Junior Championships. We're looking forward to the upcoming regattas and to seeing how we perform.
2025 Junior World and European Medalists Close to the Top
Roy Levy and Ariel Gal made their mark in 2025. The duo claimed the Junior World Championship title and finished second at the Junior European Championships (still competing in the U21 category).
As they began the season in Palma, they showed that their performance continues to improve. The team managed to finish the first Sailing Grand Slam event in 13th place, making them the top-ranked team from Israel.
Final Junior Season and Rising Names in the Fleet
The final year of junior competition lies ahead for Manon Pennaneac'h from France. She finished 7th at last year's Junior World Championships, but in the most recent regatta in March, Pennaneac'h showed strong determination. Together with Pierre Williot, they came close to the podium at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía, eventually finishing just behind the top three in 4th place still a significant achievement.
In the 470 fleet, the younger generation from the 29er class is also making its presence felt. One example is James Crossley from Great Britain, who has teamed up with Rachael Potter.
"I came through the 29er and tried to move into skiff sailing, but I wasn't quite big enough, so I switched to the 470. I started sailing with Rachael in January, and we've been training together since, we still have a lot to learn."
Reflecting on the transition, James added:
""It's a slightly different style of racing, but I recognize many people in the fleet from the 29er, which is nice. It's a small adaptation, but it makes you a more well-rounded sailor overall, and it's fun to learn."
James is also considering competing in junior events with a different crew:
"I hope to still do the junior events to build up my racing experience. I might even be able to do it with my former 29er partner, which would be really nice, but we'll see."
Across the fleet, many sailors are at the perfect age to develop and transition toward senior-level success. Among them are 18-year-old Cadance Oswald from the United States, 19-year-old Sarah Janin from France, and one of the youngest competitors from Germany, born in 2009 - Jasper Hoschka. Polish teams also feature several U21 sailors steadily gaining experience at this level.
With this depth of young talent entering the fleet, the future of the 470 looks very strong. As they continue to gain experience and confidence at the senior level, many of these names could soon become regular contenders at the very top of international sailing.