The XXV ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship’s Test Event inTavira last week highlighted new Portuguese champions.
Diogo Pereira/Manuel Macedo, from Clube Naval de Cascais, in 420, Martim Anderson, from Clube Naval de Portimão, in Radial, and Henrique Brites, also from Clube Naval de Cascais, in 4.7, became the new champions of the XXV Youth Portuguese Championship, which ended last Saturday in Tavira.
In the girls category, the new champions are Teresa Camelo/Helena Oliveira, from Clube Naval de Cascais and Marta Roque, from Clube Naval de Portimão.
Another highlight of the last day was Santiago Sampaio, from Clube Naval de Portimão, who overcame José Cunha, from Clube Naval de Leça, in the race for a place at ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, achieving the first place in Laser Radial. Santiago was third overall, right before Pedro Costa, from Clube de Vela de Lagos. In the same class, Carolina João, from Sport Algés e Dafundo, first in the girls ranking and 12th overall, also guaranteed herself a place in ISAF Youth Worlds, which will also be held in Tavira, between July 12 and 19.
Among the 420, the athletes from Clube Naval de Cascais, Diogo Pereira/Manuel Macedo and Teresa Camelo/Helena Oliveira, confirmed their leadership, becoming the new champions of XXV Youth Portuguese Championship, after their victory in last day’s three regattas. Both crews will be representing Portugal in ISAF Youth Worlds. Also on the podium were Tiago Serra/Afonso Freire, from Clube Naval de Cascais and Gonçalo Pinho/Miguel Hipólito, from Sport Club do Porto.
Always growing along the competition, was Henrique Brites, from Clube Naval de Cascais, who overcame his opponents and is now the Portuguese champion in Laser 4.7. The girls category was by far the most disputed one and ended with Marta Roque, from Clube Naval de Portimão, passing Margarida Lopes, from Clube Naval de Sesimbra, in the last race, confirming a 3rd place in the podium and achieving the Portuguese Laser 4.7 title.
The XXV Youth Portuguese Championship was the Qualifying and Test Event for ISAF Sailing Youth World Championship – Tavira 2014, which will be one of the biggest sailing competition held in Portugal and the second most important ISAF championship. In total, there will be about 70 countries, from the five continents, with more than 300 athletes who, in different classes, will try to become the next Youth World Champion. With ISAF Tavira 2014, Portugal will be the host country with the highest number of venues, with a total of five Youth Worlds.
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“It was a great championship for us and we’re very happy with our perfomance. For the Youth Worlds we will be even better prepared, with a proper plan, and to try to win it at home”, Diogo Pereira, from Clube Naval de Cascais.
“We faced difficulties in the last day, because it was too windy for us, but we managed to achieve our goals. For July we´ll practice more and try to come to Tavira a few days earlier to get used to these conditions”, Teresa Camelo/Helena Oliveira, Clube Naval de Cascais.
“It was a fight till the last race! I knew I was only two points behind the 1st place, and only with two advantage for the 3rd, but I told myself that I could do it and, fortunately, I did. Now I will move up to Standard, to face the best in Portugal, like Gustavo Lima”, Martim Anderson, from Clube Naval de Portimão.
“It was really tough, I didn’t start well, some key regattas went wrong and it was till the last meter. Fortunately the wind blew stronger today just in time to achieve my main goal. For ISAF Youth Worlds I´ll keep training, and knowing the venue is an advantage, none the less that the competition will be intense”, Santiago Sampaio, from Clube Naval de Portimão.
“I´ve been evolving this year, but nevertheless it was very difficult. In July I hope to do better than last year in Cyprus where I was 27th”, stated Carolina João, from Sport Algés e Dafundo.
“Although the first day didn’t go well, I was able to recover and take the lead. The low wind conditions during the week were favourable to me, today the stronger wind caused me more problems, but I managed to control the first place”, Henrique Brites, from Clube Naval de Cascais.
“I am extremely pleased to win again. It was a great dispute, a great championship with a lot of competition, either in girls, or in overall. The last day was crucial and the turning point was the rise in wind speed”, Marta Roque, from Clube Naval de Portimão.
Rankings: 420
Overall
1º Diogo Pereira/Manuel Macedo – Clube Naval de Cascais
2º Tiago Serra/Afonso Prieto - Clube Naval de Cascais
3º Gonçalo Pinho/Miguel Hipólito – Sport Club do Porto
Youth
1º Diogo Pereira/Manuel Macedo – Clube Naval de Cascais
2º Frederico Lacerda/Miguel Matos Rosa - Clube Naval de Cascais
3º Diogo Costa/Pedro Costa – Clube de Vela Atlântico
Girls
1ª Teresa Camelo/Helena Oliveira - Clube Naval de Cascais
2ª Joana Queiroga/Maria Teresa Espinar – Clube Naval de Cascais
3ª Francisca Pinho/Ana Luísa Magalhães – Sport Club do Porto
Rankings: Laser Radial
Overall
1º Martim Anderson – Clube Naval de Portimão
2º Pedro Costa – Clube de Vela de Lagos
3º Santiago Sampaio – Clube Naval de Portimão
Youth
1º Santiago Sampaio – Clube Naval de Portimão
2º José Cunha – Clube Naval de Leça
3º Jaime Guerreiro – Associação Naval do Guadiana
Girls
1ª Carolina João – Sport Algés e Dafundo
2ª Inês Sobral – Associação Naval do Guadiana
3ª Carolina Mira – Sport Algés e Dafundo
Rankings: Laser 4.7
Overall
1º Henrique Brites – Clube Naval de Cascais
2º Bernardo Loureiro – Clube Naval de Cascais
3º Marta Roque – Clube Naval de Portimão
Girls
1ª Marta Roque – Clube Naval de Portimão
2ª Margarida Lopes – Clube Naval de Sesimbra
3ª Rita Lopes – Clube Naval de Sesimbra
