Rio de Janeiro hosted the Snipe Brazilian Championship between January 20th and 27th with a stellar field of world class sailors.
Two-time Snipe World Champions and Pan American Games Gold Medalists Bruno Bethlem and Dante Bianchi won their 10th National title in the class. Bruno also competed (as crew) in the 470 class at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
Three SSL Gold Cup team members were in the fleet: Robert Scheidt, Mario Sergio de Jesus Jr. (Juninho) and Alfredo Rovere.
The quality of the fleet was outstanding, including Juliana Duque (a three-time Snipe Women’s World Champion) & Rafael Martins, who won the 2023 Snipe Brazilian Championship, former Sniper World Champion, Pan Am Games gold medallist and Olympian Alexandre Paradeda, with his daughter Melissa, former Snipe World Champions André Guarischi & Alexandre Tinoco, Snipe Junior World Champion Antonio Rosa together with Dante Novaes, two-time Snipe World Champions Bruno Bethlem & Dante Bianchi, former Snipe World Champions Helio Lyra de Aquino Jr. & Mauricio Santa Cru, a Snipe Junior World Champion Mario Tinoco & Alexandre Muto, and finally, but by no means least) the four-time Olympic medallist (2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) Robert Schiedt with his son Erik.
There are many more champions in this fleet, which must currently be one of the hottest national fleets on the planet!
Top Ten Results:
- Bruno Bethlem & Dante Bianchi, 26 pts
- Felipe Rondina & Andrey Godoy, 26 pts
- Mario Tinoco & Alexandre Muto, 50 pts
- Robert Scheidt & Erik Scheidt, 52 pts
- Pedro Madureira & Enzo Ricardi, 62 pts
- Bernardo Peixoto & Gustavo Baiano, 67 pts
- Juliana Duque & Rafael Martins, 70 pts
- Mateus Tavares & Rafael Rizzato, 74 pts
- José Irineu Souza da Silva & Eduardo Beirão, 74 pts
- João Pedro Herrlein & Fernando Tovar, 75 pts
Mark has been managing sailing websites since 1996, always being at the forefront of technology, and now manages the combined Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com network. He has covered events such as the International Moth World Championship and Cowes Week, focusing on the sailors' thoughts and words. Mark has been European Champion in the Farr 30 & J/24 class and has won numerous UK titles, and competes regularly in local and national events in dinghies and sportsboats.