Please select your home edition
Edition
Vaikobi 2024 December

2022 ORCi European Championship off to a great start

by Offshore Racing Congress 7 Aug 2022 15:06 PDT 6-13 August 2022
2022 ORCi European Championship © Trond Teigen - KNS

Following perfect 14-16 knot conditions this afternoon at the mouth of the Oslofiorden, numerous teams tested themselves in a lively practice race held just before the opening ceremony of the 2022 ORCi European Championship, hosted by the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS) and co-organized with the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).

Fifty-five teams from seven nations are represented here to compete all for their share of European Champion titles and other prizes awarded in each of three classes at this event.

The competitive action in today's practice race was a prelude to what lies ahead for the next 6 days in the 7 inshore and 2 offshore races in the program, with winners in each class crowned after the last race is held on Saturday, 13 August.

KNS Vice Commodore Benedicte Lind Bjorland (above) officially opened the event today.

Practice race winners include Michael Berghorn's Mills 45 Custom HALBTROCKEN (GER) in Class A, Torkjel Valland's Landmark 43 WHITE SHADOW (NOR) in Class B and Patrik Forsgren's modified First 36.7 TEAM PRO4U (SWE) in Class C - by a mere 39 seconds in corrected time.

Tomorrow's Mills Long Offshore Race will feature a 24-36 hour tour of the southern coast of Norway, with several long legs positioned for multiple wind angles. This will challenge the teams with sail selections and trimming solutions for optimal speed at these angles. Another challenge is navigational, with many small islets and rocks found along numerous sides of the race course.

The six teams in Class A have a 173.4-mile course to complete, the 21 crews in Class B have a 165.3-mile course, while the 27 entries in Class C have a 144-mile course. Weather predictions are for light and variable conditions at the 10:00 start, followed soon thereafter by a building southwest breeze that should persist through the remainder of the daylight and into the evening hours.

This opening race to the event is extremely important to the teams: while the scores are weighted the same as all other races, the results cannot be discarded.

"We think a big issue in the long offshore race will be the current," said Peter Thorwid, tactician on TEAM PRO4U. "We are from the other side of Sweden where in the Baltic there is rarely any current, so we race more frequently in those conditions. With the light air in the forecast we think this could be a big factor in the long race tomorrow."

Indeed, hydrographic models in the race area (shown above) show the current can reach up to 1.5 knots in strength.

All races in the 2022 ORCi European Championship can be followed and replayed by TracTrac.

After finishing on Monday evening or Tuesday morning, the fleet will then take a break until resuming racing on Wednesday 10 August with the start of windward/leeward inshore competition. A total of seven inshore and two offshore races are planned for this event.

"Norway is one of the most important countries for us," said Bruno Finzi, Chairman of ORC. "There are almost 1000 boats here with certificates, a big fraction of the over 10,000 that we issue worldwide. We are really pleased to be here at this excellent venue in Hanko and all the outstanding efforts made by KNS to produce what will be a memorable event for all."

The ORCi European Championship is certificated a green regatta by the FEE. The Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS) works continuously to ensure that all parts of the organization are as sustainable and climate friendly as possible.

For more information visit the ORCi Europeans website, www.orcieuro2022.no.

Related Articles

From ORC to DH: The XR 41 Delivers Again
All eyes were on the new XR 41 during the Maior Regatta in Kiel All eyes were on the new XR 41 during the Maior Regatta in Kiel, where she convincingly won under ORC. The boat has proven her versatility by taking on Denmark's Fyn Cup — and winning again. Posted on 29 Jun
First-ever ORC North American champions crowned
Fox, Zammermoos and Teamwork win at Block Island Race Week 2025 After completing the full schedule of races - 9 in the ORC 1 class and 10 in the ORC 2 and 3 classes - three new ORC North American Champion teams have been crowned on Friday at the Storm Trysail Club's 31st biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted on 28 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 5
IHG Hotels and Resorts Race Day concludes the event Block Island Race Week's final tent party was abuzz with anticipation and excitement Friday evening, as sailors and spectators awaited the announcement of cumulative awards for the regatta's 60th anniversary. Posted on 27 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 4
Round The Island Race on Mount Gay Rum Race Day Mount Gay Rum Race Day featured everyone's favorite race of Block Island Race Week: the Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race. The breaking of the recent heatwave made for a fast and furious counter-clockwise lap. Posted on 26 Jun
Tight racing at ORC North American Championship
Two days of racing remain before titles awarded in three classes With three days of racing completed over 7 Windward-Leeward courses, the scorelines are filling up for all three classes competing in the first ORC North American Championship at Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week. Posted on 26 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 3
Soaring temperatures on Risk Strategies Race Day Risk Strategies Race Day at Block Island Race Week featured another day of champagne conditions and soaring temperatures. To give sailors a brief reprieve, the Race Committee called for an "early" end to racing (only 2 long races instead of 3). Posted on 25 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 2
Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turns up the heat Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turned up the heat at Block Island Race Week—literally. The Island was not spared from the heat wave sweeping the East Coast this week, but that did not put a stop to the action out on the water. Posted on 25 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 4
IDM Inshore Gold to Flensburg and Denmark The weather conditions during Kieler Woche on Tuesday continued just as they had on Monday: sustained winds well over 20 knots and gusts exceeding 30. Posted on 24 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 1
The wind fills in after a short delay on North Sails Race Day Racing in the 31st Block Island Race Week got under way on Monday with the North Sails Race Day. After a one hour wind delay, the three fleets motored through "The Cut" to their respective race courses for a 12:00 p.m. start as the sea breeze filled in. Posted on 23 Jun
Inaugural ORC North American Championship Preview
Fleet is ready to race within the biennial Block Island Race Week Starting tomorrow an assembled fleet of 26 entries divided into three classes will start competing in the first-ever ORC North American Championship, embedded within the 31st edition of the Storm Trysail Club's biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted on 23 Jun
Rooster 2025C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOMExposure Marine