The Portuguese team competing in the Extreme Sailing Series 2016 is already on the island and things look promising.
The Portuguese team Sail Portual – Visit Madeira will be representing Portugal in the 10th edition of one of the most internationally well-known sailing competitions in the world the Extreme Sailing Series’16.
The official presentation of the team took place on September 16th at the nautical Centre of São Lázaro and had the presence of the Regional Secretary for the Economy Tourism and Cuture who announced the participation of Madeiran sailor João Rodrigues as team coach. Eduardo Jesus emphasised the role of the sea in the region as representing a path to take in developing the island’s international presence, ‘nowadays, the situation is different, we don’t have our backs turned to the sea’.
José Pedro Amaral, CEO of Sail Portugal, now also Visit Madeira, could not help but share some words charged with emotion with those present at the event. The pride he feels for this 100% Portuguese team competing in a venue such as the Bay of Funchal in an internationally renowned competition both symbolizes and emphasises how important the sea is for the Portuguese people.
The President of the Regional Sailing Association of Madeira opened the presentation of the Portuguese team by pointing out one of the factors warranting the organisation of an event on this scale and level: the possibility of adequately bringing to the island an event of this magnitude without any intermediaries. Sérggio Jesus looks at this as a ‘won bet’ in a ‘sailing competition like none before it’.
Residents will join tourists between the 22nd and 25th of September in the city of Funchal to watch one of the best sailing events ever. It is after all, a competition spanning 3 continents and 8 cities over the course of 10 months and one which will turn the bay of Funchal into a real ‘stadium’.
