Born in Portimão in 1978 he started practising sports when he was 5 and tried many different sports. Firstly with judo he won several regional titles and presences in national competitions. When he was 11 he started sailing optimist and continued until today. He participated in Olympic games, in several national and international championships and has won many titles. Nowadays he is a reference for international sailing and sails in teams from the whole world. Luís is also a PE teacher has his passion for training has made him work with children and teenagers teaching judo for 23 years and sailing for 21 years. As a sport manager he was responsible for the recreation of the Judo Clube de Portimão and for the project Vela Solidária which from 2011 on has made possible for 3000 children with financial restrictions and disabilities to practise sailing. He also has brilliant participations in World and European Sailing Championships as well as several national titles.

Testimony: “Portimão is the city that watched me being born and grow up as a men and a sportsperson. People say we are what our environment makes us and I couldn´t agree more or be more thankful to Portimão for what I am, for being able to travel the world doing what I like most – Sport, and always wishing to come back. I gladly support the candidature of Portimão for European City of Sports and do believe that Portimão wouldn’t be the same without sport and that Sport won´t be the same without Portimão from 2019 on!”