3 Races today in Cascais..

The 3rd Winter Series at Portugal’s  premier sailing centre Cascais, began today in 8-10kts of breeze, whilst the rest of Europe froze to a standstill. Teams from Ireland, Russia, Germany, Sweden and the UK braved the elements to join the local Portuguese fleet who scratch their heads in wonder about why we would chose to live anywhere else than here in the sun soaked shores of Portugal…………………..

Whilst the sailors from Cannes battled with near gale force winds in Southern France, the first days course’s for this series were set in the beautiful bay of Estoril…..   offering the fleet of  17 boats, flat water, huge wind shifts and testing tidal changes. This saw three different race winners, POR 47, POR 50 and GER 1080 take the various line honers. Whilst last months champion Lawrie Smith could only limp in 9th overall after a severe battering on this difficult and ever changing race course………

Julia Bailey sailing “Aimee” had an excellent day finishing 6th, 5th and 3rd respectively to finish 2nd overall on level points (14) with local “Hotshot” Henrique Anjos POR 47, with POR 46 (a brand new Petticrow) helmed by “Cocker” close behind in 3rd place on 17pts..  Club President Jose Matoso POR 55 is in 4th place with “yours truly” helming “EL GRINGO” in 5th…    with super winds forecast over the next two days, the Yacht Clube Naval of Cascais hope to complete their full schedule of 8 races…………

Ireland’s Andrew Craig will start his series tomorrow in NOR 282 Finito’, after snow closed  Dublin  Airport yesterday,  but such is the nature of Irish that they have showed up today a day late and 3 races gone, to join in the great end of year sailing in Portugal………..  (obviously need to avoid the gardening..etc..)

Higher, Faster, Longer………….   Stavros.