Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2022 preview
by KSSS Club 12 Aug 2022 10:17 BST
17 August 2022
F-18 Raid World Championship © ksss.se
On the 17th of August the Stockholm Archipelago Raid (SAR) will start. This year this long distance F18 catamaran race is also the F18 Raid World Championship. 30 teams from 11 countries, with many of the F18 top sailors, will be on the starting line.
The Stockholm Archipelago Raid has for many years been a "bucket list" of catamaran sailing, a test in stamina, boat handling, tactics and of course navigation. Sailing under five days among the thousands of skerries, islands and under water rocks in the Stockholm Archipelago really put both sailors and equipment to the test. On August 21 we will know who is the best F18 long distance sailor in the world.
The level of competition is very high, it has never been as tough to get on the podium. All SAR winners since 2016 are represented and the best F18 long distance sailors on the planet will participate. It will also be a battle between F18 boat manufacturer since all major brands are present: the Goodall Akurra, Goodall C2, Windrush Edge, Exploder Scorpion, Cirrus R and Nacra Evolution.
Some of the most renowned teams that have a good chance at going home with another F18 medal:
- Demesmaeker/Gagliani (BEL), Champions and SAR winners 2021, sail an Akurra.
- Burvill/Brown (AUS), Australia Champions came 2nd in the European Championship in Garda last month (ahead of Demesmaeker), first time in SAR. Sail a Windrush Edge.
- Karlsson/Nordblom (SWE), F18 raid veterans and the only team that has won the SAR together more than once (2018, 2019 and 2020). Sail a Scorpion.
- Noordzij father and son (NED), have sailed the SAR together many times, last year leading after the first two days (finished 4th). Sail a Cirrus R.
- Lundqvist/Rosengren (SWE), Lundqvist is the reigning Swedish Champion now sailing with former Swedish Champion Rosengren who won the SAR in 2016. Sail a C2.
- Dahl/Bredberg (SWE), Multihull expert Dahl won the first F18 Raid World Championship in 2017. Sail a C2.
- Waterhouse/Pixell (AUS), Multihull legend Waterhouse won the extreme long haul race Worrel 1000 in May 2022 in the USA. Sail an Exploder.
In the mixed class three teams will have a go for gold
- Jensen/Wyon (DEN), SAR winners of mixed class in 2021 and 2019. Sail the Akurra.
- Windrike (SWE), the Swedish multihull couple just came back from a successful F16 European Championship. First time sailing the SAR, sail the C2.
- Gijsbers/van Toorenburg (NED), have done well in the iconic Round Texel, but first time in SAR. Sail a Hobie Wild Cat
Official Notice Board and more information here...