Clipper Race Teams Impress During Portimão Rally

With Portimão putting on yet another perfect day, it was time for some of the teams to test out the excellent sailing conditions the Algarve is known for.

A mixture of Clipper Race crew and invited guests gathered at the Marina de Portimão and after a get-to-know session on the beautiful green lawns of the Tivoli Marina Portimão Algarve Hotel, everyone jumped on board Qingdao, Unicef and WTC Logistics.

After a safety briefing, Qingdao, Unicef and WTC Logistics slipped lines and took to the water, and it wasn’t long before the Skippers and crew on board quickly put their guests to work.

Marina Leal Correia, Director of Marina de Portimão who was hosting the rally said: "We were doing everything on the boat, sweating the lines, grinding and trimming the sails and helming it. It was really nice to see and feel what life is like on the Clipper Race yachts, including all the conditions crew have inside for sleeping, cooking eating; it is really amazing.

"Beautiful boats and beautiful people on the boats and this is all about people and sailing. We have a beautiful coast that we cherish, and we are very proud of it, so it has been fantastic to show it off today."

One of the special guests on board WTC Logistics was the mother of Portuguese crew member Ines Soares, a 32 year old Doctor who is originally from Lisbon. Portimão is the first stop in the adventure for Ines, who will be racing around 20,000 nautical miles, all the way to the Whitsundays, Australia.

All three yachts looked majestic as they sailed past Praia da Rocha and those onshore at the Clipper Race Dome would have especially had a nice view of the Clipper 70s.

Isabel Castro, a visitor from Porto, who sailed on board Unicef said: “It was wonderful to get to explore the boats and see what they can do on the water.

“The crew are really strong people. And it’s not just physically hard, it’s emotionally hard to be doing what they are doing. Just amazing.”

Once all boats were back at the Marina de Portimão, it was time to cap off the day with a drinks reception in the VIP Lounge. As well as local wines, the crew and guests were able to sample local fish, fresh out of the sea from Doca Pesca, and swap stories of yet another day to remember in Portimão.