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Situated on the Algarve coast between Lagos and Faro, the town of Portimao is no stranger to high adrenalin sports events. Kitesurfing, motorcycling and powerboat racing have all used the location on the southern coast of Portugal for professional calibre competitions.

Last weekend the thrills took to the skies as the annual Portimao Air Festival was held and as usual the weather was perfect. Fine weather is one reason why air shows, and in fact all kinds of flying activities, find favour in this part of Europe. Sky diving is another sport that selects this part of the Algarve for its weather conditions. Other adventure sports that are also found as part of holiday packages on the Algarve include sea kayaking, mountain biking and rock climbing.

The Air Festival at Portimao provides plenty of excitement with a seemingly endless display of spectacular aerobatics on show. The Breitling Jet Team came to the show last year and this year the Yak Aerobatic Team, the world's largest civilian aerobatic team, performed for the crowds.

In Charleston, on the east coast of the United States, a fleet of yachts competing in the Portimao Global Ocean race are preparing to leave on the final leg of the race that will see them race the 3500 miles across the Atlantic back to the port in Portugal they left on 12th October last year. A fleet of 6 forty foot racing yachts are contesting the circumnavigation of the world in 5 legs. Currently leading the double-handed race is Team Beluga Racer with a German crew. The boats leave America at the end of May and are likely to arrive on the Algarve sometime during the third week of June.