Portuguese Olympic sailor Eduardo Marques turned heads on Wednesday. He jumped an impressive 10 places to settle into 20th at the ILCA 7 European Championship. The action is unfolding in Marstrand, Sweden. Marques wasn’t alone in his climb. Fellow Portuguese sailor Lourenço Mateus also moved up significantly. He leaped from 51st to a solid 33rd position. These moves happened among a field of 153 boats.
The fifth and sixth races were the final ones in the qualification stage. Winds were much lighter than on previous days, which changed the game. Marques showed his skill, finishing fifth and 22nd in the yellow fleet. His total score now stands at 46 points. Mateus also had a strong showing in the red fleet, crossing the line second and 12th. He holds 61 points overall.
After three full days of intense competition, the overall leaderboard saw a shake-up. Britain’s Finley Dickinson grabbed the top spot with just 13 points. He now leads the ILCA 7 European Championship outright. Close behind him is Italy’s Lorenzo Brando Chiavarini in second place with 18 points. The Netherlands’ Duko Bos rounds out the top three, sitting third with 21 points.
All 153 competing boats are now sorted into new groups. These are the Gold, Silver, and Bronze fleets. This sorting means the strongest sailors will now race head-to-head. Good news for Portugal. Both Eduardo Marques and Lourenço Mateus earned a spot in the prestigious Gold fleet. This is the highest division. The Gold fleet races kick off on Thursday. They will decide the champion on Saturday. All the action happens right there in Marstrand.