Helsinki Welcomes Top Double-Handed Teams for the 2025 Garmin ORC DH European Championship
by Offshore Racing Congress 7 Jul 12:43 PDT
8-12 July 2025
Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship 2025 in Helsingfors Segelklubb, Helsinki, Finland © Pepe Korteniemi
The countdown is over - the 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship has officially begun in Helsinki. Organised by the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) in collaboration with Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK) and the Finnish Offshore Sailing Association, the event welcomes some of the top double-handed teams from around the Baltic Sea to race under the magic of Finland's "nightless nights".
Although recent fog in Helsinki has made day and night feel indistinguishable, hopes remain high for favorable weather as racing kicks off on Tuesday, July 8.
The event officially opened with safety and equipment inspections carried out by the experienced ORC Technical Committee, led by ORC Chief Measurer Zoran Grubisa, from Saturday, July 5 to Monday, July 7. Each boat underwent a full inspection covering safety equipment, onboard systems, and sails. With all 35 entries cleared and approved, the fleet is now ready to race for the European titles through to Saturday, July 12.
Following the successful hosting of the ORC European Championship in Åland in 2024, the Finnish Offshore Sailing Association is proud to welcome the ORC Double-Handed European Championship to Finland. With 35 boats from 7 countries bordering the Baltic: Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, and Sweden, Event Chair Noora Westerlund is pleased with how smoothly the event has come together.
Noora Westerlund, Event Chair:
"Welcome to Finland, and to this special gathering of sailors and ocean people. Double-handed sailing is about more than competition: it's about trust, resilience, and a shared passion for the sea. It means a lot to welcome you all to this harbour, this coastline, and this community. Thank you for being here - let's make this a championship to remember.
A heartfelt thank you to our main sponsors, especially Garmin Finland and Dynamic Nord, for your continued support of offshore sailing and innovation."
The event's title sponsor, Garmin, has played a key role in supporting offshore sailing across the Baltic region. After launching their ORC partnership in Åland, Garmin continues their support in Helsinki and looks ahead to the Garmin ORC World Championship in Estonia this August. In addition to providing top-tier Garmin Quatix smartwatches for division winners, Garmin hosted an Open Boat Day on Sunday at the HSK Race Harbour, featuring two fully equipped Garmin racing yachts. The day concluded with a hands-on technical seminar led by the Garmin-backed Team Pro4u - the perfect warm-up before racing begins.
Iiro Kinnanen, Garmin:
"It's an honour to continue and increase our involvement and support for the ORC," said Iiro Kinnanen, Key Account Manager OEM Marine Finland. "ORC represents the true and authentic spirit in sailing, and to be part of this as a brand and with market-leading sailing technologies is very exciting, and is something we truly are looking forward to. DH sailing has a long history in Finland and we would like to be part of it."
Thomas Nilsson, Management Committee Member of the Offshore Racing Congress:
"This event is a great example of what happens when sailors, the Race Committee, the Jury, and ORC work closely together. Collaboration and open dialogue are key to delivering a successful championship. As the ORC representative, I'm here to support both sailors and organizers. Being available, approachable, and clear in communication is just as important as the technical work we do."
"Wishing everyone the best of luck on the water, and looking forward to some unforgettable days here in Helsinki."
Who to Watch - Teams to Follow
The 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship features three classes based on ORC APH ratings: Class A: 418.0-517.9 s/NM; Class B: 518.0-557.9 s/NM and Class C: 558.0-630.0 s/NM.
Teams to Watch in Class A:
JOLENE (SWE) - A water-ballasted J121 sailed by Fredrik Rydin and Johan Tuvstedt, silver medalists at the 2025 Swedish ORCi DH Championship (Gotland Runt).
NIKE (SWE) - A custom-built Shogun 43 sailed by Marine Angsell and Anna Drougge, bronze medalists at the same event.
"After years of sailing together, from Sweden's east coast to the Fastnet and Baltic 600-this feels like a natural next challenge for us," said Fredrik Rydin, owner of the J/121 JOLENE. "We've just come off a silver medal at the Swedish Doublehanded Offshore Championship, and we're here in Helsinki to keep that momentum going."
"These waters are close to home for me, and I really enjoy the complexity of the Finnish archipelago," added co-skipper Johan Tuvstedt. "It's a place where light winds can turn heavy without warning. We're expecting tough competition, tricky conditions, and a great race."
Class B Contenders:
TEAM GOODIO (FIN) - MAT 1010 sailed by Kim Jääskeläinen and Turo Nummi, Finnish Class B DH Champions 2025 and bronze medalists in Class C at the 2023 DH Europeans in Denmark.
TEGU SAILING (FIN/NOR) - Dehler 30 OD sailed by Janne Westerlund and Kristian Jerpetjon. After a last-minute crew change, Kristian - third in the 2023 DH Europeans on TETRAKTYS - stepped in to keep the campaign going strong.
"This team came together almost by accident-my co-skipper got sick, Kristian's ride fell through, and suddenly we were both free with tickets to Helsinki," explained Janne Westerlund, recently third at the Finnish DH Nationals. "Luckily, it worked out, and we've had great energy onboard from day one."
Kristian Jerpetjøn, bronze medalist at the 2023 ORC DH Europeans, added: "We've both been in the doublehanded game for a while, each with different boats and stories, and now we're sailing pretty much a boat which is pretty much one designed setup, that's simple, fun, and honest. The Finnish archipelago will be a challenge, but we're looking forward to finding the rhythm, staying fast, and enjoying the ride."
Class C Favourites:
GARMIN TEAM Pro4u (SWE) - A modified First 36.7 sailed by Patrik Forsgren and his son Emil. Patrik, a multiple-time ORC Class C champion in full crew, Patrik won the inaugural ORC DH Worlds in 2022 with Joakim Hoppe.
LETHE (NOR) - First 34.7 sailed by brothers Øyvind and Morten Knudsen, 2023 DH European Class C champions and bronze medalists at the 2024 DH Worlds.
"Doublehanded sailing has always been special, but sharing it with my son takes it to another level," said Patrik Forsgren, 2022 ORC DH World Champion. "After years of success fully crewed, this format challenges us differently-and doing it together adds meaning to every mile."
"Normally I'm on the bow when we race fully crewed," added Emil Forsgren, "so it's a great experience to be now sailing side by side with my dad. We're looking forward to the offshore leg, taking it one day at a time, but definitely aiming to enjoy the journey and sail our best."
A Notable Entry: Ari Huusela Returns to the Offshore Scene
Among the fleet is Ari Huusela, Finland's most celebrated offshore solo sailor, competing with Annika Paasikivi on the Sun Fast 3300 Stimmy. An extraordinary amateur sailor, Ari has a record of completing some of the world's toughest ocean races: Mini-Transat (1999 & 2007), Route du Rhum (2014), IMOCA campaigns including the 2020-21 Vendée Globe, where he became the first Nordic skipper to finish the solo, non-stop round-the-world race.
Event Schedule Highlights:
Monday, July 7:
Tune-up Regatta at 14:00
Opening Ceremony at 19:00 at Blue Peter Restaurant (HSK Marina)
Tuesday, July 8:
Short Offshore Race starts at 11:00
Estimated duration: 8-10 hours for the slowest boats
Daily Prizegiving at 19:00 at Solmu Brewery
Wednesday, July 9:
Long Offshore Race starts at 15:00
Estimated duration: 48-60 hours
Skippers Briefing at 12:00 at Blue Peter Restaurant
Saturday, July 12:
Closing Ceremony and Prizegiving at 16:00
Followed by a Sailors' Dinner
We look forward to an exciting and competitive week celebrating the spirit of offshore double-handed sailing.
Full event details at: orc.org/dheuropeans2025