Junior Women's European Championship in fastpitch softball was held in Sant Boi and Gava, Spain, August 1 – 6. Twelve teams competed in the tournament.

The final standings were:

1.    Great Britain (Gold)
2.    Italy (Silver)
3.    Czech Republic (Bronze)
4.    Germany
5.    Belgium
6.    Russia
7.    Spain
8.    Lithuania
9.    Croatia
10.  Denmark
11.  Serbia
12.  Israel

National Team of Great Britain has not won a single official European Championship in fastpitch softball or baseball until this success. Great Britain is without any doubt the best slowpitch nation in Europe, having won all the slowpitch European Championships. For the first time in history of official fastpitch softball and baseball competitions in Europe, British team took gold medals in European Championship Junior Women.

British National Team consists of many players who have gained experience in US college competitions. It is unusual for other national teams to not practice during the season together, but it is the case of the British team. The players only get to meet each other shortly before the tournament starts.

Highlights of the Tournament

The Czech Republic and team GB played semifinal game on Friday evening. The Czechs started off strong and scored six runs in the first two innings. British players did not experience such beginning of a game in this tournament yet, despite the shock the Czechs may have caused, they wanted to succeed badly enough to dramatize this game.

Team GB scored twice in the bottom of the second, added three more in the fifth. The drama climaxed in the bottom of the seventh, when the Czech pitchers couldn't hold the British batters back anymore and Great Britain advanced to the final thanks to a number of hits.

The final game

The final game between Great Britain and Italy was a game tied on zeros until its very end. Coming into the bottom of the seventh, the game was still scoreless, but the British pushed hard, their first batter got on the first on base on balls. An error and a hit resulted into the final run of the tournament and GB won 1 - 0.

A number of photographers were present at the tournament and you can take a look at their work here:

Dirk Steffen: http://dirksteffen.zenfolio.com/echjw2016

Fabio Cecchin: https://www.facebook.com/fabio.cecchin.5

Alex Lazaro Gonzalez: https://www.facebook.com/Dial1322/

All games played during the final two games were streamed live and are availeble to be watched for free here.

-Helena Novotná-