Sailor João Pinto was runner-up in the world in the Hansa 303 Single class and António Nóbrega won the bronze medal in Hansa 2.3, in the world championship that took place from the 14th to the 21st of October, in Portimão.
Portugal was even in the spotlight at the Adapted Sailing World Championship that ended this weekend in Portimão. In two of the five classes in competition, national sailors managed to reach the podium, after six days of competition with very demanding weather conditions.
Sailing at home, João Pinto, an athlete from the Clube Naval de Portimão, won the title of runner-up in the world in the competitive Hansa 303 Single class by winning two of the nine regattas held.
Another notable sailor was António Nóbrega, an athlete from the Clube Naval do Funchal, who concluded this world championship in 3rd place in the Hansa 2.3 class, a class for sailors who are at an earlier stage in their sporting career.
Among the 19 national sailors competing were the duo Guilherme Ribeiro and Pedro Câncio Reis, Vela Solidária athletes, who recently became runner-up in the world of the RS Venture Connect adapted class, in The Hague, in the Netherlands. In this world championship in Portimão they competed for the first time in the Hansa 303 Double class as a pair and the final result (12th place) reflects the adaptation that the 2 sailors had to develop in relation to a different boat.
The Polish Piotr Cichocki, Olympic sailor and already holder of world titles, dominated the two classes in which he participated. In Hansa 303 Single, he won five of the nine races, taking home the title of world champion. In Hansa 303 Double, where he partnered with his compatriot Joanna Cichocka, he always finished the regattas in the top three places and it was no surprise that he won the world trophy in this class.
With storm Aline and days of very strong wind, the organization of this truly inclusive event – Iate Clube Marina de Portimão and Vela Solidária project – faced a huge challenge in logistical terms.
«It's almost as if we were organizing 2 or 3 championships simultaneously. It's a normal sailing world championship and then it's a championship in which we have to have the conditions for these sailors to move around the entire venue, easily and safely. Thirdly, and this is something we are proud of, we were able to provide an intensive social program, which brings greater enrichment to the event and allows these sailors to leave here with a unique life experience», said Luis Brito, director of the event.
The number of practitioners of this adapted sailing discipline is growing in Portugal. As president of the Hansa Class at national level, Guilherme Reis considers that what has happened in Portimão is proof that the adapted sailing fleet is growing, even despite the lack of support.
«The proof is here, more than given. We currently have more than 200 sailors from all over the world sailing in Portimão. In the past, someone said that all this was impossible. However, in 2019, there was already a European championship with more than a hundred sailors and now this world championship with more than twice as many,” he said.
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