Britain’s Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris secured the 2026 European Championship title after a commanding performance in Saturday’s medal races. The British duo sealed victory in Vilamoura following a consistent week of racing and a decisive final day that extended their overall lead.
Italy’s Giacomo Ferrari and Alessandra Dubbini finished second, while Spain’s Jordi Xammar and Marta Cardona claimed bronze.
Harris said the result marked a strong start to the season. “It’s just an incredible start to the year,” she said. “We sailed the best we could all week, and to finish it off today is incredible.”
Wrigley said the team had worked hard to regain the overall lead late in the regatta. “It was quite a long week,” he said. “After yesterday, when we pulled it back and finally got into first, we were so happy. Today it was just nice to finish it off and start the year strong.”
Italian Push — An Italian 470 crew drives upwind through choppy Vilamoura conditions during the European Championship medal races. Photo: Int470Class
Saturday’s racing began with a crucial win for the British pair in the opening medal race. That result extended their lead to seven points over the Italian crew and fourteen over the Spanish team.
Harris said the early result allowed the pair to approach the final race with confidence. “It was very safe,” she said. “We were glad to get a few more points after the first race, but we were ready for the fight in the last race.”
Wrigley admitted the final race presented challenges in shifting conditions. “We knew we had to stay close to the Italians and not do anything stupid,” he said. “In the end, we had a bad start. The conditions were really hard and changeable, so for a moment it could have been bad.”
Behind the leaders, the contest for silver remained open going into the final race. Ferrari and Dubbini defended second place while Spain’s Xammar and Cardona remained within striking distance.
Dubbini said the pressure remained high until the closing stages. “It was stressful, but we managed the first race quite well,” she said. “The second race was tough because Jordi and Marta were close, so we pushed hard and passed two boats to secure silver.” “Until the last cross and the last gate, everything was open,” she added. “It could have been silver or bronze.” Ferrari and Dubbini finished seven points ahead of the Spanish team.
Xammar said the bronze medal remained an important result despite not retaining the 2025 European title. “Winning a medal at a major event is always important,” he said. “Today we were not in an easy position because boats behind were close, but we performed very well.” He said the Spanish crew had struggled with boat speed during the week. “We had to fight more than usual,” he said. “But it’s part of the game. Even if it’s not our best event, we never give up.”
Podium Pride — Britain’s Martin Wrigley and Bettine Harris celebrate European gold in Vilamoura alongside Italy’s silver medallists and Spain’s bronze winners. Photo: Int470Class
The prize-giving ceremony took place at the Vilamoura Boat Park shortly after racing concluded.
Medals were presented by Portugal’s Secretary of State for Sport, Dr Pedro Dias. Top-10 prizes were awarded by Portuguese Sailing Federation vice-president Pedro Pontes. The Kevin Burnham Trophy was presented by Romain Bonnaud, the 2006 470 European champion.
