Portimão is preparing to become the permanent home of what organisers describe as the world’s first training and development centre dedicated specifically to adaptive and inclusive sailing.
Based at Marina de Portimão, the pioneering centre is expected to begin operating in November before becoming fully operational from January 2027.
The project is being developed by Vela Solidária, the Portuguese association which has spent years promoting sailing among people with physical and cognitive disabilities and which has just helped stage the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Portimão.
The championships concluded on Saturday after bringing together 222 sailors from 40 countries, further strengthening the Algarve city’s growing connection with international Para and inclusive sailing.
For Vela Solidária president Luís Brito, Portimão has an opportunity to turn its climate, marina infrastructure and accessible sailing conditions into something unique.
“We are going to offer the world, and particularly Europeans who cannot sail in their own countries during the winter, the possibility of coming to Portimão and enjoying unique conditions in terms of infrastructure, accessibility, sailing areas and climate,” he said.
“Here it is possible to sail every day of the year. We are going to sell Portimão as the world epicentre of adaptive and inclusive sailing.”
The association says agreements have already been reached with organisations in Switzerland, Norway, France and Austria for athletes to travel to Portimão for winter training camps.
The centre is also expected to undergo a World Sailing certification process, aimed at ensuring that its facilities and operation meet the requirements of international adaptive sailing.
Bringing the world to Portimão
The project is intended not only to attract foreign teams but also to give Portuguese sailors regular access to international-standard training without having to travel abroad.
Portuguese sailor Pedro Câncio Reis, currently European vice-champion in the RS Venture Connect class alongside Teodoro Cândido, described the initiative as a potentially major step for the sport in Portugal.
“This project is simply incredible,” he said. “The fact that it is unique in the world puts Portugal and Portimão unquestionably on the map for adaptive sailing.”
“For me and for all Portuguese sailors, it is going to be very good for us,” Reis added.
Vela Solidária is also working with several countries on plans for a new Winter Circuit, consisting of a series of regattas designed to help Portuguese and international sailors prepare for major competitions.
Brito said the model would resemble the structured winter programmes already familiar in Olympic sailing.
The wider ambition comes as World Sailing continues its campaign to have Para Sailing reinstated in the Paralympic Games at Brisbane 2032. The international governing body formally submitted its proposal to the International Paralympic Committee in December 2025.
Sailing featured as a Paralympic medal sport from Sydney 2000 through to Rio 2016 but has not been part of the programme since.
Building on a world championship
The new centre follows Portimão’s hosting of the second World Sailing Inclusion Championships, which World Sailing describes as part of its wider strategy to expand Para and inclusive sailing around the world.
This year’s competition featured athletes with physical, sensory and intellectual impairments, as well as inclusive crews bringing disabled and non-disabled sailors together.
World Sailing CEO David Graham praised the Portimão event following Saturday’s final races, saying the vision for the championships would continue to become “bigger and stronger”.
Now Vela Solidária wants to make sure that international activity in Portimão does not end with the championship.