Home advantage proved the difference as local sailors Paulo Manso and Tiago Leal took out the first Melges 15 Winter series in Cascais at the weekend. The reigning J70 European champion, Paulo set a fast pace that the Irish Armada of 8 boats could not quite match.

Six races were completed over the 3 days in a 10-18 knot wind range with 25knots and 4m swells making Saturday a lay day. John and Katie Sheehy led the Irish charge with a pillar to post victory in Race 1, and looked to repeat the same in in Race 2 only to be caught on the line in a photo finish by eventual event winner Paulo Manso. Howth sailors Mike and Michelle Evans featured prominently in the early stages of Fridays races only to lose places downwind. With top speeds on the day of 16-17 knots and the boats sailing at big angles, it was easy to go from hero to zero.

With conditions on Saturday coming in as big as forecast, sailing was postponed for the day which allowed the Armada time to regroup and fit in some sight seeing and the occasional Pastel de nata in Lisbon.

Sunday racing started on time in another 15-knot oscillating breeze with the big swell from the day before requiring a few different gears to keep the boats at full pace. Royal St George Sailors Theo and Clodagh Lyttle excelled in the first race with an incredible display of downwind surfing in the swell to finish second, having given the leader; Mansel a scare as he hung on to take another win.

The second race saw another dog fight between Manso and Sheehy with Manso maintaining a 15s lead for the duration of the race to close out the event. An early tack to the shore line on the first beat the vital move, giving him an advantage he would not relinquish. This race too saw the ever-improving Farrellys finish a close 5th as the Dad, Son, Daughter panel rotated to great effect.

The final race saw Stephen and Holly Quinn win the Committee boat start tack and hit the right corner to open up a big early lead only to be undone at the top mark with the final oscillation. Still though a fourth-place finish was consolation. John and Katie took the last race win holding off another local team of Madeira and Pinto who threatened as the wind dropped.

Sail Cascais are looking forward to the second Winter series event on April 12-14th where boats will be available to charter. Closer to home the Melges 15 demo boat made the journey south last week and was being put through her paces off Charles Fort in Kinsale at the weekend.

Portugal takes first Melges15 European Winter series event