Mafalda Pires de Lima, a Bachelor’s student at Nova School of Business & Economics (Nova SBE), became the national kitesurf champion, an extreme water sport with an increasing dimension in Portugal last September.
Student Mafalda Pires de Lima, currently enrolled in the Bachelor’s in Management at Nova SBE, has managed the incredible feat of being the first woman in Portugal to conquer the national kitesurfing title last September in Fuseta island, Olhão. Shortly after, Mafalda also achieved second place at the Women Sailing Champions League, the renowned international women’s sailing league, in Cascais.
Born in Oporto, where she began her academic journey, Mafalda chose Nova SBE due to its geographical advantages to the practice. In addition, she chose Nova SBE also due to the fact that it is a renowned business school both nationally and internationally. The school’s proximity with Centro de Alto Rendimento do Jamor [Center for High-Performance Athletics Jamor] was another decisive factor, given that her sports career has been strongly influenced by this organic unit. Mafalda considers Nova SBE to be important due to the decisive help throughout her current career process. At only 23 years old, Mafalda already holds 11 national titles and ten world and European podiums. Mafalda trains circa 330 days a year and has practiced sailing for thirteen years, having decided to trade it for kitesurfing (or kitesurf foil), a water sport in which the kiter uses the wind power to move the kiteboard and the sail over the water.
When questioned about the importance of this title, Mafalda highlights that “Winning this title, and being the first woman in Portugal to become the national kitesurfing champion means that I’m on track for my goal of making it to the 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris.”
It’s stories of dedication and commitment such as Mafalda’s that prove that Nova SBE is, in fact, made of the bright minds who will lead us through the future and that it’s its duty to continue to help them discover where they can excel and have a meaningful impact.