If there were any doubts about the importance of the SSV category at the Baja TT Sharish Gin, the entry list provides a convincing answer: 72 crews are preparing to line up in Reguengos de Monsaraz and Mourão. The field brings together the main Portuguese championship contenders, the winners of all three rounds held so far, the defending champion and several developing projects that continue to add variety to the category.
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Three rounds, three different winners
The 2026 season has yet to produce a repeat winner. Tiago Guerreiro/Carlos Paulino won the opening round in Beja, Afonso Oliveira/Daniel Jordão took victory at the Baja TT Norte de Portugal and Pedro Antunes/Nuno Batalha emerged on top at the Raid TT Ferraria.
It is Pedro Antunes who heads into the championship restart as the points leader with 47, followed by Pedro Santinho Mendes on 32, Tiago Guerreiro on 28 and Afonso Oliveira on 27. Rodrigo Melancia and Miguel Cunha are close behind with 26 points each.
All of them are included in the Reguengos entry, setting up another potentially close contest as the season resumes after the summer break.
Nelson Caxias returns to the scene of his 2025 victory
Another name to watch will be Nelson Caxias. The defending Portuguese champion returns to the Baja TT Sharish Gin after winning the 2025 edition in a dramatic finish decided by just 1.8 seconds.
This year Caxias is partnered by Luís Engeitado in a Can-Am Maverick X3 and joins a field that also features Pedro Santinho Mendes/Pedro Mendonça, Rodrigo Melancia/João Diogo, Miguel Cunha/Bruno Borrego, Roberto Borrego/Domingos Cunha and Pedro Grancha/Tomás Neves, among many others.
Can-Am and Polaris remain strong as new machinery gains ground
The size of the field also highlights the growing diversity of the SSV category. Can-Am and Polaris remain strongly represented in both the main and Stock classes, but other manufacturers and projects are gradually establishing themselves.
Segway is a clear example, with three machines included on the Reguengos entry list. André Rodrigues/Ricardo Porto Nunes continue the development of the Super Villain SX20T during a full Portuguese championship campaign, following encouraging performances earlier in the season.
They are joined by Micael Vitória/Fábio Pratas and Tiago Evaristo/João Coelho, giving the manufacturer a significantly stronger presence in the field.
Much more at stake than the overall victory
Beyond the fight for the outright win, the 72-car field also features battles in the Stock category, the Polaris Trophy, Can-Am Challenge and the various classifications linked to the Portuguese Championship and European competition.
The entry includes names such as Sérgio Vaz, Nelson Saramago, Miguel Cardoso, Alexandre Silva, Ricardo Fortunato, Adelino Oliveira, João Carvalho, Cláudio Cardoso, Nuno Neves, Gonçalo Guerra and Gil Alves, underlining the depth of the field.
There is also an international element, with Spanish competitors Antonio Herrera and Panta Rubio among the entries.
A championship returning at full strength
Following the long summer break, the 38th Baja TT Sharish Gin Reguengos/Mourão brings the SSV field back into action for a second half of the season in which plenty remains undecided.
Three different winners from three rounds, the championship leader on the entry list, the defending champion returning to the scene of last year's victory and 72 crews ready to race provide more than enough ingredients for another highly competitive weekend in the Alentejo.
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