The inaugural Portimão Global Ocean Race, which left the Algarve on October 12 for its 30,000 mile circumnavigation of the globe, is about to enter its last stage.
Having passed through Cape Town, Wellington and Brazil, the small flotilla arrived in Charleston in the southern United States on Monday to recuperate ahead of the concluding 3,500 mile sprint across the north Atlantic.
Expected to be sighted on the Portimão horizon sometime in June, long-time German leaders Boris Herrmann and Felix Oehme have maintained a narrow advantage with their Beluga Racer over the Chilean Desafio Cabo de Hornos, enjoying a 188 mile, 17-hour lead in the principal double handed category.
They must be favourites to take the first ever trophy back in the Algarve but anything can happen at sea and even the lately fast-closing British Mowgli team still have every chance of improving on their current third place.
Ever since Dutch grandfather Nico Budel was forced to abandon the race after a collision with a cargo ship on the way to New Zealand, the solo section has featured Belgian Michel Kleinjans battling in splendid isolation, and he is guaranteed to be welcomed as one of the winners should he make the Portimão harbour in one piece – watch this space for further updates as this great event reaches its climax.
Closer to home, Algarve-born Olympic medal-winning sailor Hugo Rocha steered his Turismo do Algarve boat to victory at the 2nd Grand Prix Monotipos held by the Barcelona yacht club at the weekend. The successful team will be staying in Spain to prepare for July’s J-80 class World Sailing Championships off Santander.
Still in Spain, the Pedro Mendonça-captained Bigamist7 TP52 yacht made an excellent start to this year’s showpiece Audi MedCup.
Always in contention in Alicante during the first regatta of the 2009 series, the Portuguese flag bearer took fifth place behind Argentina’s Matador, raising expectations for the competition’s August Portimão renewal.
