by Luisa Neto Rebelo
Portugal’s Drago, José Matoso / Gustavo Lima / Frederico Melo, won the Cascais BMW Dragon European Championship 2013, which came to an end today in Cascais Bay. The crew was 19th in the seventh and final race and conquered the title. German Markus Wieser, last edition’s winner, was second, while the Dane Jens Christensen was third.
The event had the high patronage of the Câmara Municipal de Cascais and BMW. The Clube Naval de Cascais and the International Dragon Association were the organizing authorities.
José Matoso / Gustavo Lima / Frederico Melo signed another historic moment for the Portuguese sailing by winning the BMW Cascais Dragon European Championship 2013. Drago’s crew took the title being 19th in the last race of the championship: "I am very happy. Winning a European Championship is a unique moment. It was very tough, every point counted and it was decided in the last downwind of the last race", says José Matoso.
Nerves of steel were needed to the exciting last race of the Cascais BMW Dragon European Championship 2013. Before the start of the 7th race, the top three were separated by only 6 points.
The race committee gave a first start with Easterly wind, but had to be abandoned. The 62 Dragons were waiting in the water, and finally with the wind blowing 8 knots from west, they could start the 7th and last race of the championship. Britons Aimee, Graham Bailey/Julia Bailey/Richard Powell/William Heritage, were the winners and won the Corinthian title. The German Markus Wieser, with Sergey Pugachev and Georgii Leonchuk in the crew at Bunker Queen was second and Germany’sTroika, Tim Ladehof/Tim Jesse/Arne Brugge, finished third. The Seven Seas Too, Diogo Barros / Jorge Lima / Rúbrio Basílio was the best Portuguese in 5th position.
Portuguese boats to the fore off Cascais. Image copyright Fernando Algarvio.
Overall, victory to Drago, José Matoso/Gustavo Lima/Frederico Melo, followed by Bunker Queen, Markus Wieser/Sergey Pugachev/Georgii Leonchuk and Danish Out of Bounce, Jens Christensen/Kim Andersen/Anders Bagger.
Regarding the other Portuguese , Seven Seas Too, Diogo Barros / Jorge Lima / Rúbrio Basil was 7th, an excellent result, and Christmas III, Rui Bóia/Duarte Neves/Guilherme Almeida/Miguel Guimarães, ended in 11th place.
Lady Tati, Patrick Monteiro de Barros / Nuno Barreto / Rodrigo Vantacich was 29 and Peggy, Miguel Magalhães/Jorge Pinheiro de Melo/José Magalhães, occupied the 38th position.
Tethys, José Carlos Pina/Filipe Loureiro/Miguel Tavares, finished in 47th. Whisper, of Mário Quina/Fernando Passeiro/Luis Mourão, was 50th.
Pamalican V, Francisco de Lacerda/Diogo Lacerda/Francisco Andrade, Dragul, José Bello/João Almeida Lopes/Gonçalo Lacerda and Catarina III, Henrique Anjos/Joaquim Moreira/Pedro Costa Alemão were 52, 53 and 54, respectively.
The winners - José Matoso/Gustavo Lima/Frederico Melo of Portugal. Image copyright Fernando Algarvio.
Cascais BMW Dragon European Championship 2013
Top 5 Overall (after 7 races)
1st Drago - José Matoso/Gustavo Lima/Frederico Melo – Portugal
2nd Bunker Queen - Markus Wieser/Sergey Pugachev/Georgii Leonchuk - Alemanha
3rd Out of Bounce - Jens Christensen/Kim Andersen/Anders Bagger – Dinamarca
4th Fever – Klaus Diederichs/Andy Beadsworth/Jamie Lea – Grã-Bretanha
5th Dottore Amore – Ingo Ehrlicher/Werner Fritz/Thomas Auracher - Alemanha
