Portugal’s first inclusive regatta

Do we accept the challenge of organizing more than one regatta? Absolutely.

The first inclusive regatta in Portugal brought a fleet of 62 boats between September 18 and 19, 2021, as well as the inauguration of the inclusive boat Lusíadas ForALL, accompanied by a talk with three very special speakers. Bento Amaral, Jorge Pina and Mafalda Ribeiro spoke to us about their lives and how they overcome everyday challenges. They also had the opportunity to sail on the Lusíadas ForALL boat, accompanied by Olympic athletes Diogo and Pedro Costa.

On Saturday, September 18, the 11th edition of the Regata do Infante took place, with its usual course between the Port of Leixões and the Ribeira do Douro. This time there were a fantastic 54 boats between 20 and 63 feet long and two very competitive races. On the 18th and 19th, the 3rd Portuguese edition of the internationally renowned Women On Water regatta took place, an exclusive women’s championship with short races that require a lot of tactical and technical effort from the crews.

Also, as in 2019 and 2020, the involvement and participation in the various moments organized for Employees was one of the highlights of the Lusíadas Saúde Porto Sailing 2021! Without a doubt, this was “Much more than a regatta”, in which the Lusíadas Saúde group was a fundamental part of an event that brought all kinds of people to the shores of Porto and Gaia, with the common goal of living healthier lives.

It's a very special girl who delivers WOW's first prize

Vasco Antunes Pereira – Madalena Antunes Pereira’s father, previously CEO of the Lusíadas Group – brought his daughter to the unique event that was Lusíadas Saúde Porto Sailing 2021, at the Douro Marina. Insightful, full of energy, very curious and with an extra chromosome: these are just some of the characteristics that define Madalena. It was also Madalena who presented the well-deserved 1st place prize in the 3rd edition of the Women On Water Regatta by Lusíadas Saúde, in Porto, to the Sport Algés e Dafundo team led by Olympic sailor Carolina João.

Regata do Infante awards ceremony exceeds expectations once again

In 2020, due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Regata do Infante awards ceremony was held in front of the Yate Clube do Porto, with the participating boats at anchor and a band to liven up this moment of celebration. In 2021, with the boat “Del Mar” becoming part of our fleet, the band played on the upper deck and, as usual, beers from our partner Carlsberg were distributed, as well as a light meal for the comfort of the participants. This was the end of the 11th edition of the Regata do Infante by Clínica Lusíadas Gaia, after a morning with less wind and an afternoon marked by the typical Nortada and very competitive races!

Tours on the Lusíadas ForALL boat run throughout the event

The first inclusive regatta in Portugal also made it possible for all types of people who wanted to sail to experience the sport of sailing. The inclusive boat Lusíadas ForALL was inaugurated on the morning of September 18th and debuted by speakers Bento Amaral, Mafalda Ribeiro and Jorge Pina, together with BBDouro athletes and supported by the Lusíadas Saúde Group, Diogo and Pedro Costa. Many other groups followed on this non-exclusive boat that is the Lusíadas ForALL, from blind people, people with motor differences or limitations, to guide dogs, who sailed on the River Douro throughout the weekend, always in the utmost safety and with a team of dedicated and experienced skippers.

The well-being of the team is paramount!

In the workplace, is there a distinction between team and family? In everyday life, the people we spend the most time with are almost inevitably our work colleagues. That’s why common well-being is crucial to a company’s success. In the Lusíadas Group, the strong presence of actions carried out for employees is notorious and BBDouro’s involvement in this area is a source of pride for us. Because an event would not be complete without its employees present, LSPS 2021 once again brought sailing trips to the Douro River for Lusíadas employees and their families, as well as other awareness-raising activities, such as the Employee Walk.