The Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 forever marked the history of class 470 regattas for Brazil. That was the year in which the duo Eduardo Penido and Marcos Soares won Brazil’s second gold medal in sailing, and the fifth Olympic gold medal in history!
Known as the Rio Boys, Eduardo Penido was just 20 years old and Marcos Soares 19 when they won the 470 class.
At a time when champion athletes did not receive a prize other than a medal, the sailors performed a “miracle” by crossing the finish line without having the same experience and financial investment as their competitors. The average age of champion sailors was 30 to 40 years old, therefore, the Brazilian medal was an unexpected achievement as it was not for young people like them.
Preparing for the competition
The medal was won in Tallin, the capital of Estonia, which was part of the Soviet Union. The duo already knew the winds and conditions of the region, as they had competed in the Pre-Olympics in 1978 in the same location. Eduardo Penido and Marcos Soares were prepared for the possibility of light winds.
The pair won first place in the first two races of the competition, a second place and a sixth place. Then, the possibility of the podium started to become real for Eduardo Penido and Marcos Soares. They then came in fifth place and then tenth.
At that time, the dispute became more fierce with the Germans Jorn Borowsky and Egbert Swensson. For the Germans to win, it was necessary to win the race and the Brazilians could not be in the top six. What happened was that a pair from Finland made a risky maneuver in the last stage of the race, which made them come to the front and helped the Brazilians, as the Germans were in second place at the finish and the Brazilian pair in seventh.
Despite their preparation, looking back, they consider that they were amateurs: they had no coach or financial support and, even after winning gold in Moscow, they participated in a South American Championship with their own resources and help from friends and family. They went from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires by car, towing two boats and had to remain at Argentine customs for three days until everything was cleared.
Family heirloom
After winning gold in Moscow, Eduardo Penido began to dedicate himself to ocean sailing, a passion inherited from his father, José Penido, and became an entrepreneur in the sailing sector. Today, he is an advisor at Magma Yachts .
And the passion for sailing seems to run in the family blood! His son, Gabriel Penido, followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and, in addition to being a sailor, is Director in the Production process of all our sailboats.
We are proud to be part of the history of these illustrious sailors and to be chosen as the company that represents this family passion.
Since then, the sport has evolved a lot, as have the incentives and the boats themselves!
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