Brazil's first Sonar team at the Paras

by . on 7 Sep 2008 >b>Mariolo Faria, Darke Mattos and Rossano Sa Leital launched their Sonar for the first time ever on September 3rd.

The first disabled sailing team ever to represent Brazil at the Paralympics is especially thankful for the support that Brazil’s Adaptive Sailing Confederation, the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and the Brazilian Sailing Confederation have given them.

The team qualified for the Paralympic Sonar event at the 2007 IFDS World Championship in Rochester, New York by using a borrowed boat. In the meantime, they have trained in Brazil in Solings and purchased their new boat in time for it to be delivered to Qingdao for the 2008 Paralympic Sailing Regatta.

Brazil is the homeland of some of the greatest sailors in the world. Torben Grael has more Olympic sailing medals (5) than anyone in the history of the sport. Robert Scheidt claimed his fourth Olympic Sailing medal, a Silver, in the Men’s Olympic keelboat competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Bernice Chiarello, the physiologist for the Brazilian Paralympic Committee and her husband has been working with disabled sailors for the past nine years. Keeping abreast of the classification of athletes with disabilities in Brazil, she recommended to Faria, Mattos and Sa Leitao that they sail together because their combined disability ratings added up to 14, ideal for a Sonar.

Chiarello also founded the Adaptive Sailing Confederation in Brazil in 2003. It has worked with over 40 sailors in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and twenty sailors out of its three other centers.

Faria, Mattos and Rossano were sailors before they became disabled. Faria was the jib trimmer on a 40-foot boat for Torben Grael’s brother, Lars Grael, who is a two-time Olympic Bronze Sailing medalist in the Tornado. Lars Grael lost his leg after being run over by a powerboat while racing a Tornado. He has been the Minister of Sports in Rio de Janeiro and an interim president of the Brazilian Sailing Confederation.

The first time that Grael returned to his yacht club in Niteroi, Brazil following the loss of his leg, Faria helped him up the yacht club’s stairs. Grael returned the favor for his friend when he made a hospital call to Faria while Faria was recovering from an injury that cost him his leg. Grael assured Faria that he would be able to sail again. Faria took to the water as soon as he could and coaches sailing in Rio de Janeiro. He has also been an instructor for the Grael Project, a program started by the Graels to introduce sailing to the underprivileged.

Faria was one of the first to step up to the plate and volunteer for Brazil’s first Paralympic sailing effort in 2004. Says Grael of Faria, 'he is an example of how to come back. Without a Sonar class or other competitive Sonar crews to sail against, his campaign has not been easy. Mariola is an example of endurance and Olympic spirit.'

Grael continues to try to compete on an even playing field with able-bodied sailors and was leading the Brazilian Star Trials for the 2008 Olympics for a good portion of the regatta.

Grael is also spearheading a disabled America’s Cup challenge named the Argo Challenge. The Argo team was competing in the Rolex Maxi Cup in Sardinia that ended on September 6th. Some of the Paralympic athletes (not just sailors) have been invited to sail with the Argo Challenge team.