The Catalan team is the main contender for the title in the REALE Spanish Interterritorial Junior and Youth Women's First Division Championship, which is being held jointly with the Second Division Championship at the Meis field (Pontevedra). If they win between September 8th and 11th, the team captained by Estefanía Knuth will emerge victorious for the fifth consecutive year.
Catalonia is not only the favorite because of its four consecutive victories, but also due to its low handicap (-6.1). Furthermore, the presence of internationally renowned players such as Mireia Prat, Anna Arrese, and Camilla Hedberg reinforces its strong position on the eve of the tournament. Andrea Vilarasau, Andrea Jonama, and Paula Mustienes complete the team.
Two of the teams with the best chances of breaking Catalonia's winning streak are Valencia (-0.3) and Andalusia (2.2). Valencia will be led by Spanish University Champion María Palacios (-1.3) and boasts strong players such as Natalia Escuriola (-1.2) and Teresa Caballer (-0.8). Andalusia features players like Noemí Jiménez (-2.2) and Rocío Sánchez (-1.8) and has the added advantage of being the runner-up in the last three editions.
Completing the group of eight participants are Madrid (6.4), Basque Country (9.0), Asturias (12.4), Cantabria (26.7) and the Canary Islands (33.1).
The competition system stipulates that on the first day, crucial to the championship's development, 18 holes of stroke play are played, with a ranking established based on the five best scores from each team. From then until the final day, the knockout bracket (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and grand final) unfolds through morning foursomes and afternoon singles matches.
A similar format will govern the Second Division competition. After one round of Stroke Play, a standings will be established to determine which four teams will compete for the title – and the subsequent promotion – in the following two rounds. The teams vying for this objective are from the Balearic Islands (13.8), Navarre (14.3), Extremadura (16.5), Galicia (17.3), Aragon (29), Castile and León (29.3), Castile-La Mancha (30.1), and Murcia (44.5).
