Fourteen-year-old Diogo Pereira of Portugal won the Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup by eight points over the weekend, taking the title over Odei van Aanholt of the Netherland Antilles, 30 to 38.

Pereira had a strong regatta throughout the four-day international Opti class event which was wrapped up on Sunday after the 12th and final race in front of a huge spectator fleet on Hamilton Harbour.

He jokingly called himself "the special one" referring to famed Portuguese football coach Jose Mourinho.

Bermuda sailor Sam Stan, also 14, nabbed third place overall.

Stan enjoyed a personal first on Sunday as he led the fleet of 31 sailors all the way around the course, crossing the line first and receving an overwhelming response from the spectator fleet.

"I didn't expect the response from the people watching when I crossed the line," Stan said. "It was great and I don't think I will ever forget it. The whole event was a lot of fun and I feel that I sailed really well throughout."

Three Bermuda sailors were in the top 10 overall in an event that featured 31 sailors from 14 countries.

Antonio Bailey placed eighth place and Rory Caslin finished 10th.

"The Bermuda sailors were great and I was particularly impressed by Rory Caslin who kind of came out of nowhere and took the regatta by storm with top finishes throughout, including second place in today's final race," said regatta chairman Somers Cooper.

"The weather for this regatta was perfect with 12 to 18 knots on the Great Sound and our sailors did well with Stan qualifying for the Optimist Worlds in December.

"It is serious racing out there on the water but also when the kids get off the water they have already begun building friendships . . ."

The Junior Gold Cup is one of the key events for young Optimist sailors in Bermuda and for those international teams who receive an invitation to come from overseas. For some it is the first time they have ever been away from home.

Pereira won the hearts of many Bermudians with his sailing skills and confidence.

"I am very excited to win and very excited to be here," he said.

"When I went out on the race course today, I just kept telling myself I cannot be nervous. I have to focus on the race and that is what I did."

After finishing Sunday's race, Pereira and his coach draped the Portuguese flag across the sail of his Optimist and sailed a victory lap.

"Sailing is a complex game and it is my job as their coach to help them understand that they need to perform at this level," said Paul Doughty, an ISAF senior instructor and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club's development coach.

"It is a performance and how well you are playing. Everyone needs some coaching and we are basically building them into good racing sailors."

Doughty added that he was very proud and impressed by the overall performance of the Bermuda sailors.

"I feel that a good message to kids is that you are being tested and winning and losing is about learning from your mistakes. Your success is the residue of what you have learned and if you don't use mistakes as a learning curve you might as well live in a box."

See photos – Page 23