Nord Stream Race commences September 15th

by Annette Krueger on 14 Jun 2013 The start for the second edition of the Nord Stream Race is on the 15th of September 2013. The route runs non-stop from Glücksburg to Saint Petersburg and covers about 800 nautical miles across the Baltic Sea. Besides the Gazprom Swan 60-yachts which will start in their own division, the entry list for ORC-yachts is also growing constantly. The start will take place in front of the magnificent backdrop of the Flensburger Förde. The route passes east of Bornholm and then follows the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The finish line is just a few miles off Saint Petersburg. Last year the regatta was only open for the Gazprom Swan 60-class but in 2013 the Nord Stream Race welcomes ORC-yachts, too, in order to attract the active ORC circuit in the Baltic Sea. The first start is on Sunday, 15th of September for the ORC Division B. ORC Division A and Gazprom Swan 60 class follow on Monday, 16th of September. The organisers hope that the regatta will bring together participants from all over Europe. German Volvo Ocean Race-Sailor Tim Kröger, Skipper of Team Europe at Nord Stream Race 2012, says: 'This Nord Stream Race is a great idea and a fantastic challenge for all competitors. I think we have proven how exciting a regatta can be during the first edition with extremely close finishes. With westerly winds the second edition this year could turn out to be a very fast trip, but with Easterlies or Northeasterlies we will all face a tough fight. I'm extremely delighted to be part of a race again that has all the ingredients to become a classic race in the Baltic which connects the west and the east of Europe.' Henning Rocholl, NRV CEO continues, 'We hope that the yachts will set a recognisable bench mark for this regatta, which shall be listed by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.' The race is going to be very interesting and exciting: Since the 56ft-yacht 'Nordic Falcon' had signed up in April, famous names like the Elliott 52 'Outsider' and the 57ft-racer 'Scho-Ka-Kola' have been added to the list. With the two-tonner 'Blagodarnost II' the first competitor from Russia is also going to take up the challenge. In addition 'Haspa Hamburg' (J/V 52) and 'Pogo I' have registered their entry amongst others. 'Racing non-stop for 800 miles in the very northern hemisphere in September is encouraging and challenging and has not been done in this way before,' says Alan Green, Race Director. He knows what he is talking about: Alan is a committed offshore-sailor himself and one of the most experienced race officers in the world, having been responsible for the Whitbread Race, Volvo Ocean Race, Fastnet Race, Vendee Globe and Route du Rhum amongst others. Therefore he knows exactly the great feeling when crossing the finishing line: 'The finish in Saint Petersburg after approximately four to six sailing days will be breath-taking for the sailors.' Saint Petersburg is a fascinating destination for the offshore-scene and definitely worth the journey. During the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/2009 the 'Venice of the North', as the city is being called, has already proven to be Russia’s sailing metropolis. To make the preparations as easy as possible for the sailors, the organisers support the participants wherever they can. NRV has organised a professional visa support for travelling to Russia as well as special hotel arrangements with fixed prices for participants. In order to help with the return transport of yachts from Saint Petersburg back to the respective home port the NRV offers two solutions: Yachts can either be transported on a cargo ferry or by hiring a professional crew. More information and details under Nord Stream Race