Cascais Dragon BMW European Championship 2013 - Overall

The final day of the Cascais Dragon BMW European Championship © Fernando Algarvio

Portugal's Drago (José Matoso, Gustavo Lima & Frederico Melo) win the Cascais Dragon BMW European Championship © Luis Bento

Portugal's team on Drago of José Matoso, Gustavo Lima & Frederico Melo have won the Cascais BMW Dragon European Championship 2013, which came to an end on Saturday in Cascais Bay. The crew was 19th in the seventh and final race which was enough to win the title. German Markus Wieser, last year's winner, was second, while the Dane Jens Christensen was third.

The event had the high patronage of the Câmara Municipal de Cascais and BMW. The Clube Naval de Cascais and the International Dragon Association were the organizing authorities.

José Matoso, Gustavo Lima & Frederico Melo signed another historic moment for Portuguese sailing by winning the BMW Cascais Dragon European Championship 2013. Drago's crew took the title being 19th in the last race of the championship: "I am very happy. Winning a European Championship is a unique moment. It was very tough, every point counted and it was decided on the last downwind leg of the last race", says José Matoso.

Nerves of steel were needed in the exciting last race of the Cascais BMW Dragon European Championship 2013. Before the start of the 7th race, the top three were separated by only 6 points. The race committee gave a first start with an Easterly wind, but this had to be abandoned. The 62 Dragons were waiting on the water, and finally with the wind blowing 8 knots from the west, they could start the 7th and last race of the championship. Britons Aimee, Graham Bailey/Julia Bailey/Richard Powell/William Heritage, were the winners and won the Corinthian title.

The German Markus Wieser, with Sergey Pugachev and Georgii Leonchuk in the crew of Bunker Queen, was second and Germany's Troika team of Tim Ladehof, Tim Jesse & Arne Brugge, finished third. The Seven Seas Too team of Diogo Barros, Jorge Lima & Rúbrio Basílio was the best Portuguese in 5th. Overall, victory went to Drago, José Matoso/Gustavo Lima/Frederico Melo, followed by Bunker Queen, Markus Wieser/Sergey Pugachev/Georgii Leonchuk and Danish Out of Bounce, Jens Christensen/Kim Andersen/Anders Bagger.

Regarding the other Portuguese teams overall, Seven Seas Too, Diogo Barros / Jorge Lima / Rúbrio Basil was 7th, an excellent result, and Christmas III, Rui Bóia/Duarte Neves/Guilherme Almeida/Miguel Guimarães, ended in 11th place. Lady Tati, Patrick Monteiro de Barros / Nuno Barreto / Rodrigo Vantacich was 29 and Peggy, Miguel Magalhães/Jorge Pinheiro de Melo/José Magalhães, occupied the 38th position. Tethys, José Carlos Pina/Filipe Loureiro/Miguel Tavares, finished in 47th. Whisper, of Mário Quina/Fernando Passeiro/Luis Mourão, was 50th. Pamalican V, Francisco de Lacerda/Diogo Lacerda/Francisco Andrade, Dragul, José Bello/João Almeida Lopes/Gonçalo Lacerda and Catarina III, Henrique Anjos/Joaquim Moreira/Pedro Costa Alemão were 52, 53 and 54, respectively.

Overall Results: (top 20)

Full results can be found here.