Nautico Capibaribe

Although the official founding date is April 7, 1901, the Clube Náutico Capibaribe had already been mentioned in the previous century, when two rival groups of rowers from Recife united. At the beginning, in 1897, a group of rowing enthusiasts led by the Portuguese João Victor da Cruz Alfarra rented boats from the old Lingueta, embarking on small excursions to the old Casa de Banhos in Pina. These trips extended as far as the neighborhood of Apipucos.

After the Canudos Revolt ended, Recife prepared to welcome the Pernambuco troops led by General Artur Costa. An extensive program was organized for the soldiers’ reception, and João Alfarra, along with some fellow rowers from the Capibaribe River, was tasked with organizing the nautical portion of the reception. A major regatta was scheduled for November 21, 1897.

This competition piqued the interest of the people of Recife, who felt the need to host more events of this kind. At the time, rowing was already a national sport and began to gain new followers. The following year, employees of warehouses on Duque de Caxias and Rangel streets formed an association named the Clube dos Pimpões. Members of the other group, which had excelled in the Canudos troops’ reception regatta, were inspired, and a series of races between the two groups took place in 1898 at the Casa de Banhos.

By the end of 1898, it was agreed to establish another society that would unite the two aforementioned groups: the Club Náutico do Recife. In 1899, its leaders decided to reorganize the club while maintaining a commitment to nautical sports. At that time, the club's name was changed to Recreio Fluvial, but the new name was not well received. As a result, in early 1901, the name by which the club is officially recognized today was decided: Clube Náutico Capibaribe

On April 7, 1901, João Alfarra called on all those connected to rowing to attend a ceremony in which the first meeting minutes of the club would be written and recorded—a date that would be officially recognized as the club's founding.

”On the seventh of April, nineteen hundred and one—1901—on the first floor, number one of the Pernambuco Company Wharf, by invitation of Mr. João Victor da Cruz Alfarra, the same and Messrs. Antonio Dias Ferreira, Esmeraldo Gusmão Wanderley, A. Ommundsen, Oswaldo de Barros Lins e Silva, Francisco Joaquim Ferreira, João Vieira de Magalhães, and Francisco Leandro Rocha attended. Mr. Antonio Dias Ferreira was acclaimed chairman of the meeting, took the chair, and declared the session open, appointing Mr. Piragibe Haghissé as First Secretary, Mr. Francisco Joaquim Ferreira as Second Secretary, and Mr. João Vieira Magalhães as Treasurer. Mr. João Alfarra, requesting the floor, explained the purpose of the meeting, which is the founding of a society for nautical activities under the name Clube Náutico Capibaribe. This idea was approved by all […] the society’s flag will have ten panels: the top and bottom red, the middle white with the letters C N C (the club’s initials) in blue. This will also serve as the distinctive flag for the club’s boats and members, displayed on the bow of the vessels as a small red jack with a white circle in the center containing a blue anchor and the club’s initials […]”

The historical document was signed by all present —Antonio Dias Ferreira, the meeting's chairman; Piragibe Haghissé, the secretary; and João Victor da Cruz Alfarra, the group leader and the originator of the idea. The first flag featured red, white, and blue, which is why Náutico still uses blue for the numbers on its jerseys today. Náutico's first uniform was blue and white to reflect its nautical roots, which served as the foundation of the club. However, red soon replaced blue and joined white, as red was already featured in the club's flag.