Biggest event of the year at the 2016 Olympic Games sailing area

From September 14th, Rio de Janeiro will host the biggest sailing event of the year at the 2016 Olympic Games sailing area: the Snipe Worlds. The class, which is part of the Pan-American Games, is one of the most popular and techniques of the world and some of it’s best sailors are from Brazil. The event begins with the Junior Worlds, for sailors under 21 years old, and follows, from September 21st, with the Senior Worlds, for sailors of all ages.

During the fourteen days of competition, 115 pairs (35 at the Junior Worlds and 80 in the Senior Worlds), including the locals Alexandre Tinoco, current World and Pan American champion, Alexandre Paradeda, world champion in 2001, Bruno Bethlem and Dante Bianchi, world champions in 2009, and the American Augie Diaz, two time world champion in 2003 and 2005, will be on the water at Guanabara Bay.

The level of both events will be high and sailors know that will not be easy to win. Bruno Bethlen, who won the Brazilian Nationals, hosted at the same place in January, explains why:

“Sailing at home is always good. We are already familiar with the landscape. On the other hand there is more pressure for a good result, but I think Dante and I can manage it well. I believe that the main opponents are the Brazilians, Americans, Spanish and Japanese sailors”.

And even the Spanish know that sailing against the Brazilian team will not be easy. Says the Spanish Victor Perez Campos who will sail a world championship for the first time. “I think it will be really difficult, especially because of the level of the Brazilian team. Our goal was to rank to the event, so now we will try to enjoy and learn from this experience, always sailing the best we can. ”

Among the juniors, the Brazilian sailors are also quoted to be champions. Nicholas Grael, Lars Grael’s son, knows the weight of his surname and, as his father, hopes to win a gold medal.

“I think the Junior event is going to be very good. Is very well organized, there are many good crews coming from outside Brazil and many good crews from Brazil too. I’m sailing at home and I’m training hard, so I hope I can get a good result. People already look at my name and think I’m as good as my dad, so there is some pressure on me to sail well”, he said.

Brazil has a history in the Snipe Class. It all started in 1961 with brothers Axel and Erik Schmidt, Lars and Torben Grael’s uncles. They won the world title again in 1963 and 1965. In 1967 it was Nelson Piccolo, who sailed with Carlos Henrique De Lorenzi, who put Brazil in the highest place at the podium. In 1977 Boris Ostergren did the same and won with Ernesto Neugebauer.

In 1983 and 1987 Lars and Torben Grael lead Brazil to the title. Ten years later, Mauricio Santa Cruz won the gold With Eduardo Neves. In 2001, Alexandre and Eduardo Paradeda did the same.

And in the last two Worlds, in 2009 and 2011, once again the Brazilian sailors showed their superiority, this time with Bruno Bethlem and Dante Bianchi and with Alexandre Tinoco and Gabriel Borges.

Snipe Jr World Championships and Senior World Championship are organized by ICRJ, SCIRA Brazil, CBVela and have the support of Olimpic Sails

PICTURE BY FRED HOFFMANN

For more information:

Velassessoria
Mariana Peccicacco
marianapeccicacco@gmail.com

Murillo Novaes
murillonovaes@uol.com.br