The fourth edition of the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, one of Portugal’s flagship sailing events, will unfold in the bay of Cascais from the 7th to the 9th of July 2023, with a record six classes across a variety of popular boats.
-Fourth edition of Portugal’s prestigious annual regatta returns to Cascais over the weekend of 7-9 July 2023
-Six classes to race across NHC, ORC, Snipe, SB20, Finn and Optimist
-Snipe South European Championship to headline three-day festival of sailing
-Finn class is added to line-up for first time
-Entry fees sponsored by Mirpuri Foundation until 8 June 2023
-Single-use plastic-free sustainable event with all entry fees donated to ocean health projects
-Mirpuri Foundation and International Coral Reef Initiative Ocean Award for innovation in ocean health to be awarded for third time
With three months to go until the start signal, the entry list is steadily growing, including well-known superyachts and record-beating VO65 boats from The Ocean Race. This year’s edition also sees the introduction of the Finn class for the first time, as well as the Snipe South European Championship which currently includes entries from Portugal, Spain and Italy.
Established in 2020 to help raise funds for marine conservation, the entry fees for the sustainability-focused regatta are donated to ocean health projects by title sponsor the Mirpuri Foundation. And until the 8th of June 2023, all entry fees will also be sponsored by the Foundation.
As an annual event, the regatta is fast becoming one of the highlights of the European summer sailing calendar and a signature event for the city of Cascais and the organisers Clube Naval de Cascais.
Gonçalo Esteves, President of the Club Naval de Cascais, said: “The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is one of the most important events in the calendar of Clube Naval de Cascais, and has grown steadily over the past three years. The relationship between the Mirpuri Foundation and CNC has resulted in some very exciting events and projects, and the club looks forward to continuing to grow this event to become one of the most important regattas on the European sailing calendar. Having in this fourth edition the Snipe South European Championships and more classes racing than ever before will make this edition even more special and remarkable.”
Sailing fans and visitors to Cascais can expect a sailing spectacle when over one hundred yachts line up for the start in July. The beaches of the Portuguese Riviera are famous for attracting visitors from across the world and the waters are recognised as one of the best spots for yacht racing in Europe, courtesy of the reliable summer breeze where the Azores High meets the low pressure coming off the Iberian Peninsula.
Carlos Carreiras, Mayor of Cascais, added: “We are back for another event that promises to be a true celebration of sailing. With Portugal’s history related to the sea and especially in its economic, social and environmental values, water sports and mainly sailing, are part of our identity. In addition to the highly competitive Portuguese sailors, Cascais offers the best regatta fields at an international level and one of the most prestigious sailing events in the world. With an environmental component that aligns with the plans of the municipality, the seas and marine ecosystems’ preservation are ideals that go on board the sailboats of this highly regarded trophy and are also the hallmark of Cascais. It has been a winning bet from year to year and an excellent opportunity for us to catapult Cascais’ economy even further. I hope it will be a memorable event for everyone and one more reason to visit our municipality.”
The annual sailing extravaganza has already attracted the interest of many of the world’s biggest names in professional sailing, racing some of the best boats, including the IMOCAs and VO65 that compete in The Ocean Race. Local professional team and 2021 and 2022 line honours winners the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team, will be competing for the fourth consecutive time onboard their eye-catching VO65 “Racing for the Planet”.
The regatta gets underway on Friday, 7 July with the first of three days of racing in the Snipe South European Championship.
On Saturday 8 July ceremonial cannon fire from the Portuguese Navy will commence racing in the NHC, ORC, SB20, Snipe and Finn classes, as well as the popular Optimist class which the Mirpuri Foundation recognises as an important feeder class into professional sailing, with their sponsorship of the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Academy run out of the Clube Naval de Cascais.
Sunday 9 July, the third and final day of the regatta will again see all 6 classes competing, after which the impressive Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy currently held by the 107ft superyacht Green Eyes, will be handed over at the popular awards ceremony hosted by the Mirpuri Foundation.
In addition to the numerous class trophies for racing, the prestigious Mirpuri Foundation Ocean Award will be presented for the third time to companies or individuals who present a scientific project that has a beneficial impact on ocean health. This year, awarded in partnership with ICRI, the International Coral Reef Initiative, the monetary prize also provides the opportunity to receive global recognition and gain exposure for exemplary environmental work.
Paulo Mirpuri, Chairman of the Mirpuri Foundation commented: “To be building towards our fourth edition together with the Municipality of Cascais and the Clube Naval de Cascais is a wonderful achievement in itself. The regatta has become a highlight event of the summer in Portugal and we are pleased to see how its success has grown with each edition of the event. Also having the Snipe South European Championships as part of this year’s line-up shows how the event has become an important regatta to the sailing community.”
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy Schedule
7 July 2023
Snipe Southern European Championships
8 July 2023
12:00 Ceremonial start cannonSnipe Southern European Championship
Coastal racing NHC, ORC
Inshore racing SB20, Finn, Optimist
20:00 Sunset Party
9 July 2023
12:00 Racing starts
Snipe Southern European Championship
Coastal racing NHC, ORC
Inshore racing SB20, Finn, Optimist
19:00 Prize-giving event
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About the Mirpuri FoundationThe Mirpuri Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Portugal, and founded by entrepreneur Paulo Mirpuri with the aim of contributing to a better world for future generations. With its belief that leading by example is the best way to change mindsets, the Mirpuri Foundation fosters cooperation between legislators, corporations, communities and individuals. The Mirpuri Foundation acts in six distinct areas: Marine Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, the Performing Arts, Social Responsibility, Medical Research and Aerospace Research. The foundation’s commitment to sustainability is transversal and is reflected in all its activities. The Mirpuri Foundation is synonymous with technology, research, information and innovation. Allied to these characteristics are the values of integrity, perseverance and altruism in order to better impact the planet.
About the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing TrophyOrganised in partnership with the Clube Naval de Cascais, the annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy is a premier event on the summer sailing calendar.
Sustainability is at the core of the regatta, and the plastic-free event was founded to raise awareness and important funds for marine conservation projects around the world. The event also celebrates the innovation and creativity of the scientific community, with a number of sustainability-forward initiatives fundamental to the event, including the Mirpuri Foundation Ocean Award, which celebrates companies or individuals who present a project that has a beneficial impact on the health of our oceans.
The three-day regatta is a celebration of the ocean and sailing that, thanks to the famously reliable Atlantic breeze the event delivers exciting racing across multiple classes and events. The past events saw almost one hundred boats sail in the regatta, including IMOCA, VO65 and VO70 class boats.
The bay of Cascais will play host to the inshore races and will see boats competing across multiple classes, including, NHC, ORC, SB20, Finn and Optimists. An addition to the 2023 lineup will be the Snipe Southern European Championships.
Cascais Marina has previously played host to numerous high-profile sailing events, including the America’s Cup World Series, the World Match Racing Tour, the Audi MedCup, and The Ocean Race Europe. The Clube Naval de Cascais has been an institution of Portuguese sailing since it was founded in 1938 and is home to the most prominent sailing school in the country, the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Academy. Cascais is also the team base of The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team, victors of The Ocean Race Europe 2021.
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