The boys from Brazil: Said Royo and Bernardo Oliveira targeting more 420 success

The boys from Brazil have won world and European titles in the 420 class this year and this is their final chance to win the Youth Worlds together, with Royo aging out of the junior ranks.

“We have had a tough year, we practiced a lot and it was also my last year in school, so it was busy,” Royo said.

“We spent many hours on the water to improve our sailing and it has been amazing this year. Next year, I will miss this.”

Oliveira, who at 16 is two years younger than Royo, will also miss his partner in the boat and the respect they have for each other is clear.

“We started last year and since then, we have had a really great connection,” Oliveira said.

“It is really natural sailing together. The way Said manages to stay calm and think about what is best for the boat in pressure situations is his major strength.”

Royo added: “Bernardo knows a lot about the boat, he was helm before being a crew so he knows everything in the boat. He is fast through the measures and he always keeps me calm through the race when I start to get more excited!”

Royo and Oliveira’s exploits this year are made all the more impressive by the fact they only venture to Europe for competitions.

The Rio-based duo have adapted quickly to come out on top, with Oliveira ranking Urla, Turkey, which hosted the summer’s World Championships, as the coolest place he has sailed.

 

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“It was such a good experience to win my first Worlds, there is nothing like that,” he said.

“My cousin started first, I was the second in my family to sail. She did not want to compete but I love the sport, I have made big friendships and contacts and I have kept doing the sport, and here we are.

“As you get better, there are a lot of things you can learn in the 420. No-one knows how to sail it perfectly but it is a good base and you learn a lot.”

Royo’s route came into the sport came via friends, rather than family, and the teenager grew up loving all forms of watersports.

“The friendships I have built with the guys in my club are great,” he said.

“I also do fishing, sailing, surfing, swimming – anything on the water. But I love sailing.

“We have many clubs in Brazil, it is obviously a big country in each region we have a club.

“There are sailors from the north, Porto Allegre in the south, everybody knows each other since the Opti.

“We are really good friends, and with the coaches as well. I keep some sports for fun but the focus is on sailing.”

Royo and Oliveira sit ninth after four of nine races and will look to plot their way up the standings on the last two days of racing.

“We have been training a lot and we arrived here a week before the Championships started,” Oliveira said.

“Unfortunately, we could not take part in the Grand Prix at the start of December but we are used to the race area and how things work here. We are pretty confident.”