ÅF Offshore Race – Round Gotland takes over central Stockholm
by Mats Olsson 24 Jun 2014 11:40 BST
26-29 June 2014
For a couple of days in the end of June, sailing takes over the central parts of the famous Stockholm waterfront as The Royal Swedish Yacht Club organize ÅF Offshore Race – Round Gotland, one of the world's most prestigious offshore sailing races.
Starting the race in the middle of Stockholm is a huge success and in the summer of 2013 more than 200,000 spectators followed the 300 boats as they left the city.
Never before had so many spectators followed the start of the classic regatta heading for the island of Gotland and back. The northern cliffs of the city part Södermalm were full of viewers, as were the docks below.
About 160 000 visitors entered the event area on Skeppsholmen island, opposite the Royal Castle, from Thursday to Sunday to get a closer look of the boats moored along the temporary docks, placed there by the city of Stockholm, next to the tall ship "Af Chapman".
This summer, the start of ÅF Offshore Race takes place in the central parts of Stockholm for the third year and there is some news. The Race Village on Skeppsholmen is larger than before. A great new restaurant is facing the water and the sailors will get their own area, closer to the tall ship "Af Chapman", with cafeteria and bistro as well as their own showers and toilets.
The first starts of the race from 10 AM on Sunday 29. The boats sail through the Archipelago out on the Baltic Sea and round the island of Gotland. They will finish outside the island of Sandhamn after 2-3 days at sea.
For more information, please visit www.ksss.se