Baltic IRC Trophy - The King wins the Cup

by Hans Genthe on 22 Oct 2010 First in the Big Boat Challenge (Kerteminde), first in the Faerdern Race (Oslo) and first in the Gotland Race. King Harald V of Norway’s TP 52 sailed a strong series. Now, finally the FRAM XVI wins the first prize of the Northern European Baltic IRC Series sponsored by hanseboot.

The Baltic IRC Series has been set up by the German Offshore Owners Association in cooperation with owners of offshore racing organizations from Scandinavia and launched for the first time in 2010. The aim is to improve the active participation in regattas on an international basis and to encourage the exchange between North European Sailors. The idea is much appreciated: 70 international yachts have participated in the series this year.

Within the sophisticated Baltic IRC scoring system regattas are rated higher that have larger registration numbers. The Færdern Race for example is the most popular long distance regatta in Norway. This year 1040 boats participated and sailed about 120 nautical miles south to the Færder lighhouse on Tristein at the end of the Oslo fjord and back. At the departure of the Oslo fjord the yachts can sometimes be whipped by heavy Skagerrak storms. Due to this the Færder lighhouse has a similar importance as Fastnet Rock has for the Britons. Thus, a victory in the Færder race is highly rated.

Swan 45 Tarok`s victory at the end of the KDY Autumn regatta, the last race of the Baltic IRC scoring, did not take the top scoring of King Harald V. of Norway. Erik Berth’s Swan from Denmark gained the second position with 72.5 points. Andrew Pearce’s IMX40 Magnum from Finland was third with 69.7 points. Norway’s Camilla, a Cookson 50, owned by Ole Martin Vordahl gained the fourth place. By the way: this fast yacht has a canting keel.

The Uijuijui was the fastest German yacht, a twenty year old Rainbow 20 owned by Friedrich Hausmann. The ship had won in the German regattas Warnemünder Woche and Flensburger Herbstwoche that belong to the Baltic IRC series.

The price giving is scheduled on 11th February 2011 on the eve of the International Yacht Forum in Hamburg, Germany during a ceremononial act.

Baltic IRC becomes Baltic open
Based on the idea of many the scoring system of the North European series will be extended. From 2011 on everybody can participate in a kind of 'Baltic ranking' which will be independent of the scoring system. Thus the name 'Baltic IRC' will be changed into 'Baltic Open'. The modernized concept takes different rating systems into the scoring without leading to different ranking lists. Additionally to IRC ships also yachts which have been measured by the ORCC or the ORCi as well as yachts measured by national rating systems like Dansk Handikap and Lys can take part in the series. The series is now also open to offshore standard class.

www.kns.no
www.baltic-irc.org