Interview with Carlo Forni
Sandra Osorio will represent Spain at the Euro-African Spearfishing Championship, to be held October 22–25, 2026, in Bar, Montenegro. A native of Pontevedra, where she currently lives, the athlete from the official Mares Pure Passion team is a top-level angler with a deep passion for the sea and spearfishing.
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After being the highest-ranked Spanish player at the World Championships in Brazil—with an excellent tenth-place finish—Sandra faces a new challenge in waters very different from those she’s used to. Her goal is clear: to give it her all and return to the podium with the Spanish national team, following their team victory at the Euro-African Championships in Turkey.
Montenegro, a New Challenge
Carlo Forni: The Euro-African Championship is coming up—the second most important and challenging spearfishing competition in the world after, of course, the World Championship. How are you feeling about it?
Sandra Osorio: I’m equally nervous and excited. To be honest, I think Montenegro will be quite a challenge for me this year. The waters there are nothing like what I’m used to, and I know fishing there will be difficult. But I’m training hard, and I’ll do my best.
Brazil’s experience and the goal of reaching the podium
Carlo Forni: You were the highest-ranked Spanish athlete at the World Championships in Brazil, on a very challenging course—especially for Europeans—and you achieved an excellent 10th-place finish. What are your expectations for the Euro-African Championships in Montenegro, and what are your goals?
Sandra Osorio: Brazil was a place that really put my nerves to the test. I felt pretty overwhelmed fishing so close to other anglers, and that kept me from fishing better and achieving a higher ranking.
But I’m gaining more experience, and I hope to do well this year in Montenegro and help my team win the team competition. I’d love to stand on the podium with my teammates.
Spain faces the challenge of defending its Title
Carlo Forni: You won the Euro-African Team Championship in Turkey. What did that victory mean to you, and what will be the keys to defending your title?
Sandra Osorio: It’s an incredible feeling. To be honest, I feel much happier about that victory than I do about my individual titles, and it’s something I’d love to repeat this year.
Besides, I know we can do it, because my teammates Mónica, Nuria, and Aurora are really good fishermen, and I know we’ll give it our all.
Compete to learn and share a passion for the sea
Carlo Forni: What do these competitions mean to you, and what gear from your sponsor, Mares, will you bring and use in Montenegro?
Sandra Osorio: For me, competitions are a way to improve, learn, and—above all—meet people who share your passion and have fun together. It’s true that we all like to win, but in the end, what stays with you are the experiences you’ve had at each competition and the people you’ve met.
For Montenegro, I’ll be taking my 5-mm Mares Polygon wetsuit, which is very comfortable, and my blue X-Wing C-Evo fins, which I love. They’re great for deep-water fishing—although mine won’t be that deep.
I’ll also bring my two Strike spearguns—the 75-cm and 90-cm models—with reels, hoping to get lucky and catch something big! And a few other things… If I start listing them, I don’t think I’ll ever finish.
Also, this year I’ve really stepped it up and bought my own Lowrance equipment for the boat. So let’s hope to rack up some great scores and finish the championship with the boat full of fish.
