The Costa Ballena Women's International Absolute Match (Rota, Cádiz) celebrates its seventh edition this week, from February 12th to 15th, continuing the format introduced last year, when the number of competitors increased from four to eight. On the Andalusian course, the host team is aiming for what would be its third consecutive victory.

The tournament, which as usual serves as the perfect test before the Copa de SM La Reina (Queen's Cup), to be held at the end of the month at the Real Club de Golf El Prat, features a Spanish team comprised of Lucía Valderrama and Patricia Bañón from Valencia, Nerea Garrido from the Canary Islands, Alba González from Pontevedra, Elena Juanas from Madrid, María Velilla from Aragon, and Julia Gelma and Carolina Pérez-Tasso from Barcelona. This team is supported by captain Beatriz Cid, coach Sergio de Céspedes, and the President of the Women's Amateur Technical Committee, Covadonga Basagoiti.

Of particular note is the presence of Alba González, a player who actively participated in the victories achieved in the 2024 and 2025 editions. Similarly, Elena Juanas' start to the season is noteworthy, with a Top 10 finish in the recent Andalusian Cup.

The teams from Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, and Switzerland are joining the Spaniard this week at Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club. Among the top-level golfers on the course are France's Sara Brentcheneff, ranked in the World's Top 100, Sweden's Havanna Torstensson, and Germany's Antonia Steiner.

The eight participating teams are made up of between six and eight golfers, mostly in the Under 18 category. The teams are arranged in two groups of four, Red and Blue; the leaders of each group at the end of the first three days of play face each other in the final on Saturday.

Swedish women dominate the awards list

This is the seventh edition of this match. The first, in 2018, ended with Spain in third place and Italy at the top of the podium. In 2019, the victory went to the always powerful Swedish team, who shared third place with Spain, both tied with four points, and who took the trophy thanks to their victory against the hosts on the second day.

In 2020, the same situation repeated itself: a Swedish victory despite Spain finishing with the same number of points. In 2021, the tournament was replaced by a match between Spain and Sweden, which went to the home team. In 2022, the title went to Finland, who won with the same number of points as Spain, and in 2023, the home team finally achieved the long-awaited victory.

This situation was repeated last year, when Spain beat Ireland in the final by an emphatic 8-1.

This tournament took over on the calendar from the Spain-Sweden Match, which had been held on these same dates since 2005 and featured the best players from both countries, many of whom are now successful professionals. Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Azahara Muñoz, and Caroline Hedwall played in a match that became a continental classic.