Sail

Sailing is one of the milestones of the modernization effort undertaken by Rio's elite at the turn from the 19th to the 20th century. Like rowing, the sport made the most of the city's natural conditions to develop, and it was born connecting the two sides of Guanabara Bay. The first records of sailing as a sport date back to the late 19th century. In its July 1, 1889 edition, “The Rio News” – a periodical aimed at English residents of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói – praised the sport as being “infinitely” healthier than horse racing.

Lagoa and Guanabara Bay Regattas. Video taken from the FEVERJ Website

In 1895, the first sailing-specific regatta was held on Ilha de Paquetá. One of the main organizers was sailing enthusiast H. Wagner, a sailboat owner. A few other sporadic regattas took place during this period, usually associated with rowing events. It was only in the 20th century, more precisely in 1906, that a club dedicated to sailing was created, the Iate Clube Brasileiro, whose nautical headquarters was located on Praia da Saudade, in Botafogo. Shortly afterward, a branch was inaugurated in Niterói, which still exists today. Its opening helped boost the sport, intensifying nautical excursions among the islands of Guanabara Bay.

The club's first regatta was held in 1907, with the assistance of the Navy. Five heats set off from Glória toward Ilha de Mocanguê, from there heading to Morro do Morcego, in Jurujuba, and finishing at Fortaleza de Laje. The competition was regarded as a sign of the country's advancement toward civilization.

Other clubs dedicated to the sport were created from then on. Unlike Iate Clube Brasileiro – aimed at Rio's elites and the English in Rio and Niterói –, clubs such as Centro de Veleiros (1907) and Iate Clube Germânia (1910) had their membership made up of middle-class members. In the 1920s, more clubs were formed in both cities – some dedicated exclusively to sailing, others including different sports (such as sport aviation, at Fluminense Iate Clube). In 1935, the first national regatta, the Troféu Marcílio Dias, was held.

Present in the Olympics since the Paris Games in 1900, sailing is one of the sports that has won the most medals at the Olympic Games for Brazil, 19 in total, coming in just behind judo and athletics. When it comes to the highest spot on the podium, sailing ranks first, with eight golds won as of 2024.

Image description: This is a photograph of a sailing competition during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. On the left side, we see two Brazilian sailors on a boat with Brazilian flags. They are raising their arms in a sign of victory or celebration. In the background, there is a white vessel with people watching the competition. The landscape shows a rocky coastline and blue sky.

The sport's first Olympic medal came in 1968, a bronze in Mexico City. The first gold medals, meanwhile, were won at the 1980 Moscow Olympics by two pairs of sailors. One of them was made up of Marcos Soares and Eduardo Penido, both from Rio, champions in the 470 class.

Women won their first medal in the sport in 2008, in Beijing, with the pair formed by Rio-born Isabel Swan and Fernanda Oliveira. The first women's gold came at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, with Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze. Born in Niterói, Martine is the daughter of one of the country's greatest Olympic medalists, sailor Torben Grael.

Image description: This is a photograph of an Olympic podium during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. On the left side, two athletes are standing with medals hanging around their necks. They are wearing black uniforms. In the center, two athletes are jumping in the air, showing off their yellow shirts and green pants. On the right, two athletes are wearing red uniforms and also have medals hanging around their necks. The background shows an excited crowd and a distant mountain. At the bottom of the image, there is a Rio 2016 Olympic Games logo.