From December 1 to 3, Clube Naval de Cascais hosted the latest edition of the NacionalGest Christmas Race, bringing together 265 sailors of all ages from 34 clubs across eight countries. The event showcased a mix of high-level competition and festive holiday spirit.
In the Optimist class, sailors from the host club dominated the rankings. Guilherme Ryder secured first place, taking home the Eng. Barros Pereira Trophy, followed by Guilherme Costa and Diogo Reis. Laura Leiria Pinto stood out as the best female sailor in this category.
In the Under-12 division, Guilherme Costa achieved another victory, with Vasco Moreira and Artur Bento finishing second and third, respectively. Maria do Mar Costa earned recognition as the top female sailor.
The ILCA 4 class also served as the first national qualification race of the season. David Cabrita emerged as the winner, with Henrique Peixinho in second and Juliana Bastianelli, who also excelled as the top female sailor, in third. In the ILCA 6 class, João Rosa claimed victories in both the overall and Under-19 categories, with Jannis Tomáz and Kuzey Karis completing the podium. LuÃsa Peres, finishing fourth overall, was the top female competitor. Meanwhile, in the ILCA 7 class, Lourenço Mateus took first place, followed by João Pontes and Adolfo Virgili Pasqual Del Riquelme.
In the 420 class, the Under-17 team of Miguel Lima and Manuel Pires de Lima captured the overall win, with Miguel and Manuel Plantier in second. Teresa Quartin and Rita Borges placed third and led the female category.
In the SB20 class, Team Xcellent, comprised of John Pollard, Henry Wetherell, and Santiago Sampaio, claimed victory, ahead of the crews from Hotel Valverde and AP Hotels & Resorts. The Star class was won by Piet Eckert and Frederico Pinheiro de Melo, representing Clube Naval de Cascais.
Sponsored by NacionalGest Insurance Consultants and supported by Marina de Cascais, the event reinforced its commitment to sustainability, earning a silver certification from the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas program. António Melão, Regional Director of Lisbon for NacionalGest, expressed pride in partnering with Clube Naval de Cascais and hopes this collaboration will continue for years to come.B