Thursdays 10-12 knot conditions were once again perfect for tight inshore racing at the 2024 ORC European Championship with some new teams having entered the winner’s circles in the day’s two Windward-leeward races.

While Karl Kwok’s TP 52 BEAU GESTE (HKG) continues to dominate Class A, the fight for Silver and Bronze medals in this class remains intense with three teams within 4 points in the standings. In today’s first 7.4-mile race, Jacek Chaboowski’s HH42 SCAMP THREE (POL) had their best result thus far in the series, crossing the finish line just 9 seconds astern of Johannes Wackerhagen’s Kneirim 49 DESNA (GER) yet correcting to be 5 seconds ahead to take second place.

Jacek Chaboowski’s HH42 SCAMP THREE (POL) © Pepe Korteniemi

In the second race the margin to earn second place was even tighter on the same length course: after an hour of racing Jens Kuphal’s Landmark 43 INTERMEZZO (GER) defeated DESNA by only 2 seconds in corrected time.

Jens Kuphal’s Landmark 43 INTERMEZZO (GER) © Jascha Kuphal

On the strength of their second place finish in the Long Offshore race and their two bullets earned in yesterday’s inshore racing, Class B is being led handily by Tiit Vihul’s modified X-41 OLYMPIC (EST). 15 points separates OLYMPIC from the new class runner-up in the standings, Erik Stannow’s X-41 DIXI 4 (DEN), who won today’s first race, and has a narrow 2-point lead over another Danish X-41 - Soren Junker’s NEXUS.

Erik Stannow’s X-41 DIXI 4 (DEN) © Janis Spurdzins

“We had a good day today, the best so far for us,” said Stannow. “We have two more days to race and the team is confident we will do our best.”

Interview with Erik Stannow on DIXI 4: https://fb.watch/tZOfmpkOFH.

Jaak Jõgi’s X-41 FORTE (EST) © Pepe Korteniemi

The second-place score for OLYMPIC in Race 5 was an average points redress given for being unable to race due to a collision they had towards the end of Race 4 with Jaak Jõgi’s X-41 FORTE (EST) where their stern pulpit was broken off. The team is working on a repair that will get them back out on the race course tomorrow.

Interview with Tilt Vihul on OLYMPIC: https://fb.watch/tZGIYM-oYb.

Per Roman’s JPK 11.80 GARM (SWE) © Janis Spurdzins

Besides DIXI 4, another team new to the Class B winner’s circle today was Per Roman’s JPK 11.80 GARM (SWE). Team member Gustavo Martinez Doreste said “The win didn't come easily, perfection was key! With a strong start from the pin end, we maintained the lead throughout. To finish in the top five [in this class], every race has to be flawless!”

Interview with Gustavo Martinez Doreste on GARM: https://fb.watch/tZKD9DmuXi.

ARABELA (LTU), Raimondas Šiugždinis ITALIA 11.98 © Janis Spurdzins

Another Class B team that had a great day with scores of 2-3 is ARABELA (LTU), Raimondas Šiugždinis ITALIA 11.98. They are showing great promise on the inshore races but unfortunately their DSQ for a rounding mark error made in the non-discardable Race 1 will make it difficult for them to keep climbing up the ranks.

Ott Kikkas’s Italia 9.98 SUGAR (EST) © Jascha Kuphal

On Class C the scoreline for the defending champions - Ott Kikkas’s Italia 9.98 SUGAR (EST) - makes it look like their straight bullets today may have been easy in giving them a 4.5 point lead over current runner-up TEAM PRO4U (SWE), Patrik Forsgren’s modified First 36.7, but helmsman Sandro Montefusco said otherwise.

“The first race went well. We got a strong start and had a good lead through the race,” he said. “But the second we did not have a good start and had to fight around the course. Its good we have such a strong team, they pulled us through on this.”

Even so, SUGAR’s victory margins in an hour of sailing the two 5.6 and 5.7-mile courses for about an hour were not much: 29 seconds in the first race and 12 seconds in the second.

Interview with Sandro Montefusco on SUGAR: https://fb.watch/tZPsWUFH-X.

TEAM PRO4U (SWE), Patrik Forsgren’s modified First 36.7 & Aivar Tuulberg’s Arcona 340 KATARINA II © Jascha Kuphal

A look at the leaderboard in this class says it all: for the remaining two days of racing these two teams along with the current 3rd and 4th placed Estonian teams - Margus Zuravljov’s modified First 36.7 AMSERV TOYOTA ST and Aivar Tuulberg’s Arcona 340 KATARIINA II - will be wrestling over every point in the narrow 7-point gap that separates them now.

Margus Zuravljov’s modified First 36.7 AMSERV TOYOTA ST © Pepe Korteniemi

A busy day of racing was awarded with a prize giving ceremony held at Hotel Pommern in the City Center. Our official accommodation partner and a local company specialising in taking good care of anyone travelling to Mariehamn. Our organization has been happy to be assisted and accommodated by Åland Hotels during the event and also on our trips to Mariehamn for planning the event.

Prize giving at Hotel Pommern, team members from BEAU GESTE © Pepe Korteniemi

After a Skipper’s briefing at 0830 local time on Friday will be a Short offshore race starting at 11:00 and intended to be about 6 hours in length for all classes. The final day of racing will be Saturday with as many as two races scheduled to start at 11:00 local time, followed by the Awards ceremony.

Complete results for each class can be found at: http://data.orc.org/public/WEV.dll?action=index&eventid=ggkte.

RACE 4 Top 3 teams:

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗔

BEAU GESTE TP52 - Karl Kwok (HKG)
SCAMP THREE - Jacek Chaboowski (POL)
⁠DESNA Knierim 49 - Johannes Wackerhagen (GER)

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗕

DIXI 4 X-41 - Erik Stannow (DEN)
IMAGINE X-41 - Felix Streckenbach (GER)
ARABELA ITALIA 11.98 - Raimondas Šiugždinis (LTU)

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗖

SUGAR 3 Italia 9.98 – Ott Kikkas (EST)
TEAM PRO4U mod First 36.7 – Patrik Forsgren (SWE)
AMSERV TOYOTA ST modified First 36.7 - Margus Žuravljov (EST)

RACE 5 Top 3 teams

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗔

BEAU GESTE TP52 - Karl Kwok (HKG)
INTERMEZZO Landmark 43 - Jens Kuphal (GER)
⁠DESNA Knierim 49 - Johannes Wackerhagen (GER)

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗕

1.⁠ GARM JPK 11.80 - Per Roman (SWE)
2.⁠ ⁠OLYMPIC X-41 mod - Tiit Vihul (EST)
2.⁠ ARABELA ITALIA 11.98 - Raimondas Šiugždinis (LTU)

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗖

SUGAR 3 Italia 9.98 – Ott Kikkas (EST)
⁠KATARIINA II Arcona 340 – Aivar Tuulberg (EST)
⁠AMSERV TOYOTA ST modified First 36.7 - Margus Žuravljov (EST)

Overall Results after 5 races

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗔

BEAU GESTE TP52 - Karl Kwok (HKG) - 9
⁠INTERMEZZO Landmark 43 - Jens Kuphal (GER) - 15
⁠DESNA Knierim 49 - Johannes Wackerhagen (GER) - 17

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗕

OLYMPIC X-41 mod - Tiit Vihul (EST) - 10
⁠DIXI 4 X-41 - Erik Stannow (DEN) - 25
⁠NEXUS X-41 - Soren Junker (DEN) - 27

𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗖

SUGAR 3 Italia 9.98 – Ott Kikkas (EST) - 10
⁠TEAM PRO4U mod First 36.7 – Patrik Forsgren (SWE) - 14.5
⁠⁠AMSERV TOYOTA ST modified First 36.7 - Margus Žuravljov (EST) - 16

The 2024 ORC European Championship hosted by ÅSS Marina is a combination of offshore and inshore racing held daily until 17 August and is organized by the Finnish Offshore Racing Association and Åländska Segelsällskapet (ÅSS) under the authority of the Finnish Sailing Federation under the overall authority of the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).

To follow the fleet in tomorrow’s inshore races, use the link on the TracTrac website: https://tractrac.com/event-page/event_20240808_ORCEUROPEA/2989.

Photos from Pepe Korteniemi, Jascha Kuphal and Janis Spurdzins are available in albums on the ORC Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/orcsailing/albums.

Videos and interviews are available at https://www.facebook.com/watch/100064391033161/999748641849649.

All information about the event is available at https://orc.org/europeans2024 and https://www.orceuro2024.com/

The ORC European Championships 2024, hosted by ÅSS Marina, is organized by the Finnish Offshore Racing Association, Åländska Segelsällskapet, and Offshore Racing Congress.

#orcsailing #TheEqualChanceToWin #orceuropeans2024 #sustainablesailingevent

Follow the event and share your #roadtoaland at:
Event Facebook https://facebook.com/orceuro2024
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/orceuro2024/

New teams in the winner's circles at the 2024 ORC European Championship in Åland Islands

RACE 4 Top 3 teams:

RACE 5 Top 3 teams

Overall Results after 5 races

Three 2024 ORC European Champions crowned in Åland

Extremely close racing on the first day of inshore races