Sailing News with Sailing Box

Extreme sailing orienteering in the Scandinavian archipelagos

Stockholm, June 9 2008 22 teams from 10 nationalities will compete in this year’s edition of the Archipelago Raid, starting in the heart of Stockholm on Friday 13 June. For six days and five nights the teams will challenge the force of man and Nature in the beautiful but difficult landscape of the Stockholm, Aland and Finnish archipelago in small and very fast formula 18 catamarans.

The teams of two origin from the UK, France, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Australia and the independent island of Aland. Half of the teams have never competed in the Archipelago Raid before but are experienced sailors, endurance racers or very familiar with the archipelago. Three teams have already reached the podium in previous editions: English William Sunnucks on X-Leisure won the Raid in 2004, the French Hobie Cat pro Eric Proust, on Team Kalix, has already reached the podium three times, all but the top step, and the Swedish match racer and America’s Cup sailor Martin Strandberg, Team Thule, took an impressive third place last year on his first Archipelago Raid.

Among the 22 teams there is one all female team: Karin Almquist, 26, and Karin Berg, 22, belonging to the Swedish national team in 470. The team, GB Glace, is sponsored by Unilever Nordic, also the main partner of the race.

There is one more female competitor in this tough endurance race, the world re-known solo sailor Ellen MacArthur, teaming up with Australian Greg Homann on BT: “I was up in Stockholm for a couple of days last week and the weather was just fantastic. We had great winds, clear blue skies and I was reminded that the Archipelago really is one of the most beautiful places in the world to sail. I am looking forward to getting out there again and to starting the Archipelago Raid, although I know from past experience in 2003 that we’re going to be exhausted by the end of it!…”, said MacArthur.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 10 June, all the teams and boats need to be present at Djurgarden, in the city of Stockholm, for the last preparations before the big challenge starts Friday 13 June at 11 am CET.

Course:

Friday 13 June: start 11 am Junibacken/Djurgarden to Lido.
Saturday 14 June: restart from Lido at 3 am to cross the Baltic Sea to Lappo in the archipelago of Aland.
Sunday 15 June: from Lappo to Nagu in the Finnish archipelago.
Monday 16 June: back to Aland archipelago, to Rödhamn, annexe of the ÅSS, Åland Island Yacht Club.
Tuesday 17 June: cross the Baltic Sea again back to the Stockholm archipelago and Sandhamn, passing Fejan.
Wednesday 18 June: from Sandhamn to the finish line in Stockholm City/Djurgården at around 2-3 pm.

Stockholm, May 15 2008 In one month’s time the most extreme orienteering sailing race in the world will be hosting some of the biggest names in sailing, who will be competing against less unknown but talented and persistent teams in the 8th edition of the Archipelago Raid.

In Formula 18 catamarans the Raid pushes the teams of two to the edge, both mentally and physically, as they navigate round the 100,000 islands that make up the Swedish, Aland and Finnish Archipelagos. For six days the teams will battle through some of the most challenging and beautiful landscapes in the world, with uncharted rocks and changing weather conditions, stopping only for a brief ‘overnight’ rest.

This year’s edition takes place just before midsummer, when the almost non existent Scandinavian summer nights demands even more of the competitors as one can more or less sail throughout the night.

Almost 20 teams from nine nationalities have already signed up. Impressive personalities like Dame Ellen McArthur belong to the line up. Ellen McArthur competed in the Archipelago Raid already in 2003 but had to withdraw early in the race after an unfortunate leg injury. After sailing around the world solo non stop in monohull and multihull, (Vendee Globe, Solo Round the World and Jules Verne records) McArthur stopped sailing for two years. Now she is back with a new project and has chosen the challenging Archipelago Raid as a part of her comeback. She will team up with Greg Homann from Australia.

18 Teams (preliminary list):

Berotec - Paul Rosenquist & Sten Hellberg - Swe

BT - Ellen Mc Arthur & Greg Homann - GBR/Aus

HH Marin - Thomas Ekefalk & Carl Johan Söder - Swe

N-Group - Matti Nieminen & Mikko Nieminen - Fin

RBSC - Patrick Demesmaeker & Michel Proot - Bel

Stelacon - Lars Linder & Karl Petersson – Swe

Sundsvalls Bygg - Frederik Eckman & Gustav Templeman - Swe

SWE 558 - Ola Person & Tomas Westergren - Swe

Team Blue 1 - Conrad Humphries & Ryan Crawford – UK

Team Thule - Martin Strandberg & Johan Örtendahl – Swe

ÅBIT - Ronny Haals & Jonathan Barck - Åland

William Sunnucks & Simon Farren - UK

Karin Almquist & Karin Berg - Swe

Team Kalix - Eric Proust & Romain Motteau - Fra

Thommy Sundström & Markus Lagerqvist - Swe

Martin Hållsten & Malcom Hanes - Swe

Thierry Andre & Alessandro Vercio – Bel/Ital

Olof Berenson & Magnus Wadstein – Swe