When Tomorrow asked me to meet Carlos Clímaco and write his story, I couldn’t have been more delighted. I’ve been a yachtsman for many years and a recreational windsurfer for some of that time. It was a sunny day with light winds when I caught up with Carlos at Baleira beach next to the fishing port in Sagres.
Carlos has been windsurfing for 45 years, ever since windsurfing became popular in Europe. The sport was first envisaged and subsequently developed in California in the late 60s, and, by the 70s, it had reached Europe. Carlos Clímaco took up the sport in 1979 and fell in love with it. He was born in Carrapateira, a village on the west coast of the Algarve, but the conditions for windsurfing were unsuitable. Fortunately, the protected bay and often steady winds in Sagres were perfect, so the bay became his training ground.
Almost ten years ago, Carlos started to take racing and competition seriously. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, he placed well in the Campeonato Nacional de Windsurf Slalom in Portugal, achieving 5th, 3rd and 5th place respectively in the veterans’ class. Slowly, Carlos began to attend more events and competitions. In 2017, he took part in the Défi Wind à Gruissan in Southern France, which is often described as the most wild and wonderful sailing event in windsurfing. Gruissan is famous for flat water and a sporty wind, known as the Tramontana. It often blows 40 knots and the event is regarded as one of the most challenging in the world. The race begins with a flying start of over 1,300 competitors and comprises four gruelling legs of ten kilometres each.
In 2018, Carlos again entered the event. “Défi means challenge in French, and, yes, the race was the most challenging I have ever competed in,” laughed the athlete. “I didn’t know the results when I finally crossed the finish line, but I was over-the-moon thrilled to find out that I came 2nd in my class. It was a podium finish and a huge result for Portugal and me.
“In the 2019 event, I again achieved a podium finish of 3rd place in the veterans’ class of over 60-year-olds with surfers from more than 30 countries. It really put Portugal on the map in terms of sailing competitions,” explained Carlos.
In April 2021, the Vila do Bispo council announced it would support Carlos to help him participate in sailing/windsurfing events throughout 2022 and around the world. The mayor, Rute Silva, signed the sponsorship contract with the athlete.
“It’s a great honour to be recognised and rewarded in this way,” said Carlos. Two years later, the sponsorship is ongoing.
Besides the world-famous event in Gruissan, France, Carlos has been successful in local regattas every year since. He is training hard now for the 2025 event. At 66 years of age, his dedication and enthusiasm are admirable.
As we sat chatting in a shaded area in the fishing port, we talked more about his life outside windsurfing. Carlos is a fisherman who specialises in the highly prized goose barnacles (percebes) that cling to the rocky cliff faces in southwest Portugal. There is a fairly short window of opportunity to harvest this delicacy, about two hours at low tide. “The exercise keeps me fit,” he told me. In between the percebes harvesting and the competing, Carlos taught himself how to sew, primarily so he could repair his windsurfing sails. Now, he repairs many things: awnings, shade umbrellas, canvas boat covers and so on. Like many itinerant sailors, you have to have multiple talents to succeed.
When I asked him about the future of windsurfing, he was circumspect. “Most of the competitors in the Défi event were 40 years plus. Young people are not so interested. There is too much interest in cell phones. Then there are all the alternative watersports like kiteboarding, wing foiling, stand-up paddle boarding and motorised foiling boards. But extreme sports are still popular and the Défi event is so radical and exciting that its popularity is increasing – and that’s a good thing.”
In the early days, windsurfers had fins but now many are opting for the foil, a fast and exciting innovation. In 2024, Carlos acquired the S2Maui Eagle with foil and he was anxious to get back on his board. As I watched him sail away, he was on the foil in no time. Watch out for sail number POR 181 during the 23rd Défi Wind Challenge from 23 May to 1 June, 2025.
Main photo: © Marcos Clímaco
Other sponsors have also joined the effort to raise awareness of the benefits of watersports and promote their own interests. Carlos Clímaco’s new board and sail are festooned with the logos of Dickson-Constant.com, the Câmara Municipal de Vila do Bispo, Aury Sports Ocean Shop and Sportlink.
