14 Questions to … Mafalda Pires de Lima

Mafalda, a very talented young girl from Porto, sailed the 2015 Junior Wolrds with is brother Tomas (8th place).

– 1) Your first time on a sailing boat?

When I was about 5 years old, in my family boat “Bretoa”. My father went inside the deck so that the others think I was sailing alone with my little brother that was about 3 years old. And after that experience I started sailing optimist when I was 10.

– 2) Your first time on a Snipe?

It was in 2014 at the Portuguese Nationals. I got a call the day before from brother at mid-night asking me to replace the guy he was supposed to crew with and I did him a favour and said yes.

I ended up loving the boat and if we didn’t break a …… we would have been at the top 10!

– 3) The most bizarre thing that happened in a regatta?

When many jellyfish came inside my boat, they can cause 3rd degree burns!

…

 

– 4) What is the thing that most angers you in a race/regatta?

When the wind drops to zero!

– 5) Which is the race/regatta that you remember with the most pleasure?

The byte Europeans last year, I had already qualified for the youth Olympics and I was third at that championship. It had really good level and I made lots of good friends.

– 6) And the race/regatta you would like to forget?

I think I don’t have any. Even though some of them didn’t go as I expected there is always a lesson behind every “failure” and if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t know the things I know today.

– 7) Your “dream in the peak”? (Your sailing dream?)

For me it is to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race, the toughest regatta in the world I guess.

– 8) Sailing goals for 2016, and beyond?

To learn and sail as much as I can so that I can make a good progress and be prepared for challenges that may come.

– 9) The most important people for you in sailing and in the Snipe?

It is my father (Pedro) which has been my master during all this years and my little brother who is always there to sail with me.

– 10) Why the Snipe?

It is a very technical boat with more tunings then you can imagine and also because the fleet is very competitive and you can learn a lot with better sailors, especially in Portugal where we only have 2 junior crews so the good sailors are the ones that have been winning championships for longer than I was born.

– 11) Your perfect sailing venue and your perfect sailing conditions?

My perfect sailing venue is probably Vilamoura in Algarve, Portugal where you always have wind from 5 to 25 knots. But the perfect sailing conditions is 16 knots and 2 meter waves.

– 12) Besides sailing which other sport do you practice?

I do kitesurfing in the holidays and during the rest of the year I enjoy running next to the sea.

– 13) Are you superstitious?

Yes, I think a little bit. I have the same half of a plastic bottle for over a year and it brings me luck. I also sing every time before a race starts.

– 14) Your perfect holiday?

To sail in a 50 feet boat at the Caribbean’s.