Portimão born Mariana Pinto has been crowned national champion of Absolute and Female Optimist, at the 2023 Portuguese Youth and Children's Championship, and runner-up in Team Racing for Clube Naval de Portimão.
The light sailing fleet from the Algarve travelled to Viana do Castelo to participate in the FPV 2023 Portuguese Youth and Children's Championship, along with other sailing teams from Associação Naval do Guadiana, Clube Náutico de Tavira, Grupo Naval de Olhão, Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro, Clube Internacional da Marina de Vilamoura, Clube Naval de Portimão and Clube de Vela de Lagos, with the athlete from Clube Naval de Clube Naval Portimão, Mariana Pinto, dominating the Championship, and becoming Absolute National Champion and Optimist class juvenile female.
“There were five consecutive days of great races, with the participation of around 120 young sailors of the Optimist class, from 24 clubs across the country, who completed a total of 14 regattas, under excellent conditions for practicing the sport”, says the Southern Regional Sailing Association in a statement.
A race organized by the Clube de Vela de Viana do Castelo, which this year is the European Capital of Sport, had the collaboration of the Algarve club, Capable Planet Clube Náutico de Loulé.
In the Team Racing competition, Clube Naval de Portimão reached 2nd place in the general classification, becoming National Vice-Champion by teams. A race that was won by Clube de Vela Atlântico.
With this result, the young female sailor becomes the youngest and the first female sailor to achieve the feat of joining the title of national champion, to that of vice-champion of the World, receiving a golden key.
Clube Naval de Portimão is now the club with the most National titles in the Optimist class.
The Southern Regional Sailing Association congratulated “all athletes and sailors, respective Clubs in the Algarve, their technical teams, for their presence in these Portuguese Optimist Championships, especially sailor Marina Pinto, her club, coach, and her family, for the excellent result obtained for sailing in Portimão, Algarve and Nacional”.
For Ricardo José, president of the Southern Regional Sailing Association, “this is a result that fills us all with pride, not only because it demonstrates well the dynamics of the modality in the South Region, but also, it demonstrates that nothing happens without a lot of work, dedication and commitment. And that, our sailors and their clubs, are of a unique resilience, in the panorama of Regional sport. The results now obtained, give good indicators and more motivation, to work more and better. Congratulations to sailor Marina Pinto and Sailing in the Algarve”.
Source https://postal.pt/ - Picture by Luís Fráguas
