2015 Volvo Estonia ORC European Championship - An interesting last day

by ORC on 17 Aug 2015 After drama of all sorts in today's final race of the Volvo Estonia ORC European Championship, two new winners are crowned as 2015 ORC European Champions: Jaak Jögi's X-41 Forte from Estonia in Class A-B and Patrik Forsgren sailing his modified Beneteau 36.7 Team PRO4U from Sweden.

Sailing on Forte with Jögi was Tammo Otsasoo, Marko Nüüd, Indrek Rajangu, Martin Kaal, Kalev Kaal, Indrek Lepp, Kalev Vapper, and Martin Müür. The winner of the Corinthian prize in Class A-B was Kai Mares's J/V 49 Immac One4All from Germany, and in having the fastest average speed on the course they also win Fastest Boat award for the Garmin Offshore Race.

Silver medalists in Class A-B went to Priit Tammemägi's Premium from Estonia, just three points ahead of Martin Estlander's Xini Freedom from Finland. Just like the winner, these two teams were also racing X-41's, but both were caught on the right side of a 20° left shift on the first leg of the course today, pushing them deep in the results while yet another X-41 - Tiit Vihul's Olympic from Estonia - who earned second to Forte and beat out third-placed Lady Bird, Johannes Puusepp's Estonian Akton 395, in today's Enterprise Estonia inshore race awards.

'This was a really tough week of sailing, but I'm really pleased with our performance and the performance of all the Estonian teams,' said Kalev Vapper, Commodore of Kalev YC, and a member of the team on Forte. 'This helps show the strength and quality of competitive sailing in Estonia, with so many medal winners in this and other championship events.'

Class C winner Team PRO4U consisted of skipper Forsgren along with Johan Gnosspelius, Oskar Hellblom, Per Joakim Hoppe, Anders Joachimsson, Jan Lindquist, Anders Martensson, and Carl Fredrik Nycander. Being all amateur ISAF Group one sailors, this team also won the Corinthian Prize for Class C. Runner-up in the class was Ott Kikkas's NM38s Sugar 2 from Estonia, with Samuli Leisti's X-35 Audi Ultra from Finland winning Bronze medals.

'It was an interesting day. Sugar 2 tried to kill us at the start, but we managed to get ahead of them on a shift, then just stay ahead of them around the course,' said Forsgren. 'We have been working for this for many years, so it's a good feeling to win.

'What's next for us is the Swedish Nationals, then Worlds in Copenhagen next year. The others are catching up, so we have to keep on improving.' He attributed their success to consistency: 'no big mistakes, reasonable speed in all conditions, good maneuvers, and conservative tactics.'

The Summer Capital of Estonia delivered yet another beautiful sunny day and some of the best wind of the week, with 12-15 knots in a cool northeast breeze. On the first leg, however, a 20° left shift rolled through the course and kept those on the right from catching those on the left. The quickness of this shift caught out the race committee, so the downwind legs could therefore not be adjusted and the fleet reached to the gate. Fortunately the scoring program could be adjusted to make the ratings fair, and for the last lap there were proper windward-leeward course angles.

Sailors at the event were, however, complementary of the race management decisions made by PRO Alfredo Ricci and his team. Ricci in turn was complementary of his team and the sailors.

'This team here was excellent, and thanks very much to the sailors and organizers for being accommodating, flexible and supportive when we had to make changes,' said Ricci. 'This was one of the best ORC events I've been to yet.'

ORC representative Paolo Massarini also had high marks for this event, the first major championship held in Estonia. 'I am astounded. This event in every respect has set a new standard of excellence for ORC championship events for the future. Our congratulations to Commodore Juri Sober and all the volunteers, committee members, staff at Pärnu YC, and of course the event's sponsors, who were so incredibly friendly, supportive and positive throughout this event. This was a complete success.'

Massarini invited all to join ORC and organizers from the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki to attend the 2016 ORC European Championship to be held in late June 2016 in Porto Carras, Greece.

And with representative Michael Quist from the Royal Danish YC, Massarini invited all present to enter next year's 2016 ORC World Championship in Copenhagen, held in Tuborg Harbor, and scheduled for July 15-23, 2016.