Brazilian team Zion Brandão and João Joppert have recently secured both the Brazilian National and South American titles, confirming their place among the most promising teams on the circuit. Already awarded as the best South American team at the 29er Awards last December, we caught up with them to learn more about their journey, mindset, and goals for the season ahead.
How did you first get into sailing, and what made you fall in love with it?
João: I first got into sailing in a Hobie Cat clinic in the United States. I enjoyed the wind, the contact with the ocean, which I missed from when I used to surf, and the speed.
Zion: I started sailing when I was 7 thanks to my parents, and I fell in love with the sport because of the water, the wind, but mainly because of my grandfather’s support, who loved to watch me sail.
Who were your sailing heroes growing up?
João: My sailing heroes growing up were Fernando Menezes, former Brazilian 29er champion, and Florian Trittel, whose videos I watched to learn.
Zion: My sailing heroes were Torben Grael, Robert Scheidt, and Renato Cunha.
What’s the most important lesson sailing has taught you so far?
The most important lesson sailing has taught us is resilience. Never giving up even when a race seems lost — after all, the race only ends when you cross the finish line.
How do you balance school and competitive sailing?
We both study at the same school, and due to frequent travel because of sailing, we need to wake up early and study before training sessions, relying on strong support from our school.
What motivates you to keep improving and pushing in sailing every season?
What motivates us to keep pushing every season is the constant drive to excel and improve.
If you could sail anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
For us, the best venue in the world is Búzios, due to its perfect sailing conditions, warm and sunny weather, and overall good vibes. One exotic place that would be a dream to race a regatta in is the Maldives.
You recently won the Brazilian Championships (and then the South American Championships!)
What was the toughest moment?
The toughest moments in the Brazilian Championship were in light breeze conditions, where we had to catch up with teams that were 20 kg lighter.
During the Brazilian Championships you sailed in winds ranging from 5.5 to 20 knots — how did you adapt to such varying conditions?
We believe that a strong advantage of our team is that, in Rio, we practice a lot in light breeze conditions, which gives us good technique and helps us perform well in lighter winds. We also both enjoy sailing in “end of the world” 20+ knot conditions.
How do you split roles on the 29er, and how do you communicate effectively during races?
Communication on the boat is usually split between micro and macro tactics, where the crew focuses on one and the helm on the other, respectively.
Do you have a pre-race routine or ritual that helps you get in the “racing zone”?
Before every race, we dap each other up and wish each other a good race.
What is the most important piece of advice you give each other when things don’t go as planned?
The most important advice we give each other is to always focus on boat speed and to reset our minds, taking extra care to sail even smarter.
What are your main goals for the 2026 season?
For the 2026 season, we aim to perform well in Kiel and, if everything goes well, maybe win our second medal in Vilamoura.
If you could give one piece of advice to young teams aiming for national competitions, what would it be?
First of all, sailing should be fun and light. Secondly, train as much as you can. Third, never put yourself below your competition.