| CASCAIS, PORTUGAL-(10-9-2003) After five intense days of competition, the sailors joined in the closing cerimony of the 2003 Star European Championship, where there were delivered the prizes to the best crews.
Before the crew's consecration, Hermínio Loureiro, Sports Secretary of State, came to the stage to pay a well-earned tribute to a faithful friend of Clube Naval de Cascais - Manuel Pataca. Posthumously, the Government joined this initiative giving to the widow a medal for sports merit.
The first prizeman of the night was a funny surprise. The organization decided, at the last moment, to give a `special` souvenir, as it was called, to Collin Beashel, the australian who, in the second race of the championship, fell overboard the Star. Facing this situation, his crew, David Gilles continued the race and didn't wait for his partner, that had to be taken in tow by an american crew (Claude Bonanni/Gennadly Korolkov) to the boat with bow number two. Ralph Roberts, international jury chairman, finished the story playing with the skipper: «now we all know that Collin he's much better sailor than swimmer!».
After that was time for the parade of the ten best crews of this European Championship. One by one, they came to the stage to receive the conquered prize. But the greatest applause of the night belonged to the penta european champion team, Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira. The Brazilians received a thunders of applause from those who were present and, in an improvised speech, Marcelo Ferreira thanked Portugal «that have put Brazil in the map».
The ceremony ended with a short intervention of Portugal Telecom chairman, the sponsor of the event. Miguel Horta e Costa marked out the «great honour of Portugal Telecom sponsoring this event». The final words belonged to Miguel Magalhães, who said goodbye to the sailors with «for ever and ever», hoping that all have the great wish to come back to Portugal.
|
