Broader View Hamburg win ORC duel
by Stella Merck 24 Sep 2015 15:46 BST
20 September 2015
SPIRIT OF EUROPE performs start-finish victory
BROADER VIEW HAMBURG wins ORC duel
As the first of the participants Swan 60 SPIRIT OF EUROPE crossed the finish line of Nord Stream Race 2015 just off Saint Petersburg at 21:04 local time on Wednesday 23rd September. Skipper Tim Kröger and his crew completed the 800 nautical miles in only three days, eight hours and four minutes. The winner of the ORC class is the Andrews 56 BROADER VIEW HAMBURG with skipper Georg Christiansen who finished after three days, 18 hours and 24 minutes.
"Our tactic right from the beginning was to stay on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea where there was more pressure, while at the same time not moving too far away from BONENOSEC in order to keep all tactical options open", explained skipper Tim Kröger his approach. "The decisive moment for us was between Bornholm and Gotland. We kept away from the land while the others all went far more inshore where there was less wind. Therefore we could constantly keep up a good speed." Not only tactics and good preparation is important but also human factors play an important role: "I have put together the team not only with very talented and experienced sailors but at the same time with people I have been friends with for decades. This means that we have a great atmosphere on board and all very much enjoy taking part in Nord Stream Race every year."
In second position in the Swan 60 division is defending champion BRONENOSEC who, according to skipper Tommaso Chieffi, gave away her chance of winning at an early stage: "We had some problems at the start in the Flensburg Fjord already and fell back by some miles which we could not manage to recover during the race." Team Gazprom Youth Sailing Challenge with skipper Sergey Borodinov on board TSAAR PETER came in third, followed by PETITE FLAMME with skipper Juan Calvo Boronat and SGM with skipper Joachim Brünner, who struggled with hydraulic problems on the way.
The two ORC yachts sailed side by side within the range of vision all the way, keeping up the suspense right up to the very last miles where the Andrews 56 BROADER VIEW HAMBURG managed to extend her lead. She crossed the finish line on 24th September at 7:24 in the morning, one hour and 16 minutes ahead of the J/V 53 BANK VON BREMEN with skipper Carol Smolawa. "To sail within the range of vision the whole time was very motivating and made us push that little bit further", said Georg Christiansen who has lots of praise for his young crew: "We have a great atmosphere on board. Everybody is highly ambitious and concentrated. With attentive and knowledgeable sailing skills they have all contributed to our success. We performed many sail changes and must have made the right decisions during the race."
The prize giving ceremony of Nord Stream Race will take place on Saturday 26th September at the glamorous Naval Museum right in the historic city centre of Saint Petersburg.
www.nord-stream-race.com