Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026 - Overall

Sunshine, national flags, champagne and celebrations both on the water and at the dock marked the final day of the Klaipeda ORC European Championship, where Denmark's DIXI 5 and Sweden's Garmin Team Pro4u were crowned the 2026 ORC European champions.

The championship concluded with one windward-leeward race in the 100 Years of Lithuanian Offshore Sailing Leg. The final contest completed the full scheduled program of six inshore races and two non-discardable offshore races.

Both championship winners underlined their strength by winning the final race. The crew of Garmin Team Pro4u celebrated by jumping into the water together after the finish, while national flags flew from the victorious yachts as the teams returned to Klaipeda Port.

For host nation Lithuania, the final day brought a historic result. KETURI VEJAI and RHINO won silver and bronze respectively in ORC Class AB, marking the first time Lithuania has secured two medals at the same ORC championship and the country's first ORC European Championship silver medal.

DIXI 5 completes a dominant championship

The Danish XR-41 DIXI 5, skippered by Erik Stannow, had already secured the ORC Class AB European title with a race to spare, but the team returned to the water on Saturday and completed its championship with one more victory. Six wins from eight races, supported by a second and a third, gave DIXI 5 a final score of nine points.

"We had an outstanding series," Stannow said. "We achieved six first places, a second and a third, and we are very proud of how far we have come in a relatively short time." Despite the strength of the scoreline, Stannow said the competition on the water had remained intense.

"We still found it very competitive," he explained. "There were many boats sailing close to us. We have a fast boat, we invest in the right tools, and we have a world-class tactician. There is no magic sauce. It is hard work, practice, investment and having the right people."

The victory completes a steady climb for the Danish team. After winning silver at the 2024 ORC European Championship in Åland with its previous boat, DIXI 5 returned with the new XR-41 and earned another silver at the 2025 Garmin ORC World Championship in Tallinn. In Klaipeda, the team finally reached the top step. The celebrations carried an additional meaning for navigator Jesper Radich, who marked his birthday on the same day the team celebrated its European title.

DIXI 5 is already looking towards the 2027 ORC World Championship in Copenhagen. "We were second at the Tallinn Worlds last year, just as we were second at the Europeans two years ago," Stannow said. "You can probably work out what we want to achieve next. We would love to win the Worlds, but there is no easy way to do that. For now, we will celebrate what we achieved here.", said Erik Stannow

The championship-winning crew was skipper Erik Stannow, with Carl Rupp, Lennard Peilcke, Gordon Nickel, Charlotte Graffunder, Bertil Balser, Florian Heinze, Gunnar Bahr, Nicolaus Schmidt, Jesper Radich and Robin Zinkmann.

Historic Lithuanian double in ORC Class AB

The battle for silver and bronze remained open until the final race, with the two Lithuanian teams separated by only two points before the start.

The modified X-41 KETURI VEJAI, skippered by Karolis Janulionis, entered the final day in third place. After a direct battle with Italia 11.98 RHINO, skippered by Saulius Pajarskas, around the course, the team moved into second overall and secured the European silver medal.

"It feels very good. We fulfilled all our expectations and even exceeded them," Janulionis said. "When we arrived, we thought perhaps we could finish in the top five. Then we learned that the larger yachts would also be included in our class, so there was a great deal of uncertainty about how we would compete against them. Considering everything, we are extremely happy." said Karolis Janulionis

RHINO completed the historic Lithuanian double by taking bronze. The two local teams also occupied the top positions in the ORC Class AB Corinthian division. KETURI VEJAI won Corinthian gold, with RHINO taking silver. Norway's Sinergia 40 SONS OF HURRICANES, skippered by Jon Sverre Høiden, completed the Corinthian podium after making one of the longest journeys to compete in Klaipeda.

Garmin Team Pro4u confirms its strength in ORC Class C

Sweden's modified First 36.7 Garmin Team Pro4u, skippered by Patrik Forsgren, arrived in Klaipeda as the reigning ORC Class C World Champion but with a substantially refreshed crew. Only three members of the 2025 world-title line-up were aboard in Klaipeda. The Swedish team posted five race victories, including a win in the final race, to secure the European title with 12 points.

"We are incredibly happy," the team said after returning to the dock. "We proved that we can compete at the highest level with this new line-up. We pushed our limits all the way to the finish, and we are extremely pleased with the result." Crew member Emil Forsgren praised the depth and variety of the Class C fleet, including the two new MAT 11 sisterships STONY X and ARABELA-CITADELE, as well as the new teams racing the established boats SUGAR and SHADOW.

"It was great to have the two new MAT 11s here and to race against two strong new teams on SUGAR and SHADOW," Forsgren said. "It made for very good racing throughout the championship." said Garmin Team Pro4u

The championship-winning crew was skipper Patrik Forsgren, with Lova Leringe, Mikael Lindqvist, Emil Forsgren, Lea Rebecca Maurer, Elisa Lindskog, Noa Bergstrand, Anton Engström and Kasper Tidner.

A young SUGAR team exceeds its expectations

Estonia's Italia 9.98 F SUGAR, skippered by Henri Roihu, completed an exceptional first championship together by winning the Class C silver medal.

The young Corinthian team combined one race victory with a remarkable series of second-place finishes. It ended the championship on 18 points, six behind Garmin Team Pro4u and 12 ahead of the bronze medalists.

"It feels amazing," Roihu said. "People often say that a result has not sunk in yet, and that really applies to us at this moment." The team had arrived in Klaipeda hoping to prove that a young crew could compete against established offshore programmes with many years of experience. "We prepared for this event and fought hard every day to be as good as possible," Roihu said. "We came here to win a medal, but silver is beyond our expectations. We are extremely happy." said Henri Roihu

The result also gave SUGAR the Class C Corinthian division victory.

A medal in STONY X's first regatta

Denmark's new MAT 11 STONY X, skippered by Steen Toftebjerg, completed the Class C podium in third place. The result was particularly notable because the Klaipeda ORC European Championship was the yacht's first regatta. The team arrived with almost no testing or racing time, using each day to learn more about the new design.

"We are very happy," said crew member Mads Christensen. "It was a new project and a new boat, and we had no time to do proper testing. Finishing on the podium is even better than we hoped." The demanding long offshore race was the week's low point, but conditions improved dramatically for the following races. "The long race was extremely tough and tiring," Christensen said. "After that, we had champagne conditions with sunshine and good wind."

The crew also had to adapt quickly after illness ruled out one member during the opening days. A Lithuanian sailor stepped aboard and integrated rapidly into the team. "We were fortunate to find a very good local sailor who was also a great person," Christensen said. "He fitted into the team quickly, and we did not feel that we had lost anything."

"We improved every day, and the difference between our best and worst performance became smaller," Christensen said. "We have not reached the boat's full potential yet, so there is plenty to work on before next year's Worlds in Copenhagen." said Mads Christensen

Corinthian winners in Class C

Behind Corinthian champion SUGAR, Lithuania's MAT 11 ARABELA-CITADELE, skippered by Raimondas Šiugždinis, earned Corinthian silver and finished fourth overall. "Of course, our expectations were higher," Šiugždinis said. "However, the disqualification in the first leg essentially ended our chances of fighting for an overall medal. Despite that, we recovered emotionally and continued racing throughout the week. We had an excellent opportunity to explore the potential of our new boat and identify where and how we can continue improving."

Estonia's First 34.7 LUMI, skippered by Mart Eensalu, completed the Class C Corinthian podium. Its consistent performance throughout the championship also earned the team fifth place overall.

Full program completed in contrasting Baltic conditions

Principal Race Officer Eckart Reinke praised the race management team after completing the entire championship programme. "We completed the full program and were even ahead of schedule by Thursday evening," Reinke said. "That meant we needed only one race on the final day, giving the teams more time to prepare for the prize-giving and for their departure."

The championship opened with strong winds and a particularly demanding long offshore race. The leading boats completed their courses in approximately 24 hours, while the final finishers spent close to 30 hours at sea. "It was probably the longest offshore race I have ever managed within that time frame," Reinke said. "That will stay in my mind when I look back at this event."

He also praised the international race management team, which brought together officials from five countries. "Working with such an experienced team was a pleasure," Reinke said. "The group included several race officers, ocean racers and other highly experienced sailors. It was an excellent team to work with."

ORC thanks Klaipeda and the organisers

Competitors and representatives of the Offshore Racing Congress praised the championship organisation and the programme, both on the water and ashore. "When you travel to a country that is not yet as familiar to the international sailing community, there is inevitably some concern about whether everything will run smoothly," said Ecky von der Mosel, Deputy Chairman of the ORC.

"But there were no problems at all. I found a highly professional team here, and together we created an excellent event. I am extremely satisfied with how everything was organised." said Ecky von der Mosel

Championship trophies - Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026, Lithuania - photo © Janis Spurdzins

The final prize-giving and closing ceremony at the Port of Klaipeda provided an emotional conclusion to an intense week of racing and dedicated work both on and off the water. The skippers of the overall podium teams were awarded the Garmin QUATIX 8 ultimate nautical smartwatches. The leading teams received their championship trophies and ORC championship medals, while heartfelt thanks were extended to the supporters, sponsors, organisers and volunteers who made the event possible. As the celebrations drew to a close, one message was clear: Klaipeda, you will be remembered, and we are happy to return. Gero Vejo!

Overall Results:

ORC Class AB

1. DIXI 5, XR-41, Erik Stannow, DEN 1-1-1-1-(2)-1-3-1, 9 points
2. KETURI VEJAI, modified X-41, Karolis Janulionis, LTU 5-2-4-8-4-2-1-(13), 26 points
3. RHINO, Italia 11.98, Saulius Pajarskas, LTU 2-(15 BFD)-3-2-3-4-2-12, 28 points

ORC Class C

1. Garmin Team Pro4u, modified First 36.7, Patrik Forsgren, SWE 1-1-2-1-(4)-1-5-1, 12 points
2. SUGAR, Italia 9.98 F, Henri Roihu, EST 6-3-1-2-2-2-2-(7), 18 points
3. STONY X, MAT 11, Steen Toftebjerg, DEN 12-2-4-4-1-(5)-4-3, 30 points

ORC Class AB Corinthian

1. KETURI VEJAI, modified X-41, Karolis Janulionis, LTU 5-2-4-8-4-2-1-(13), 26 points
2. RHINO, Italia 11.98, Saulius Pajarskas, LTU 2-(15 BFD)-3-2-3-4-2-12, 28 points
3. SONS OF HURRICANES, Sinergia 40, Jon Sverre Høiden, NOR 9-7-5-4-(12)-6-5-3, 39 points

ORC Class C Corinthian

1. SUGAR, Italia 9.98 F, Henri Roihu, EST 6-3-1-2-2-2-2-(7), 18 points
2. ARABELA-CITADELE, MAT 11, Raimondas Šiugždinis, LTU 22 DSQ-(4)-3-3-3-3-3-2, 39 points
3. LUMI, First 34.7, Mart Eensalu, EST 5-6.5-5-6-(7)-6-9-4, 41.5 points?

Full results can be found here

The road to 2027 begins

With the 2026 ORC World and European champions now crowned, attention turns to the next season of international championship racing. The 2027 ORC European Championship will be held in Málaga, Spain, from 5 to 12 June, bringing the fleet to the waters of the Costa del Sol. The Garmin ORC World Championship 2027 will follow from 6 to 14 August on the Øresund, hosted by the Royal Danish Yacht Club at Skovshoved Harbour in Copenhagen. The Notices of Race have been published, and registration is open, inviting teams to begin their preparations for another season of ORC championship competition.

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship took place from 7 to 15 August. Throughout the week, the Regatta Village at the Klaipeda Cruise Ship Terminal welcomed visitors with maritime experiences, educational activities, exhibitions, entertainment and live events offering an introduction to the world of offshore sailing.

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship was funded by Klaipeda city, partially funded by the Lithuanian National Sports Agency and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. The main partner of the event was the Port of Klaipeda, and the sponsors were Volfas Engelman, Garmin, Sportland.

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026 was organised by the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU), under the authority of the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU) and under the overall authority of the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).

For more information, please visit orc.org/europeans2026 & www.orceuro2026.com

ORC Partners are Vennvind, TracTrac, PredictWind, Garmin and Leica Geosystems.

For more information, please visit: orc.org/europeans2026 and orceuro2026.com