2025 Sevenstar Contest Cup – Mostly storm cloud conditions test resilience
by Contest Yachts 15 Jun 10:22 BST
6-8 June 2025
2025 Sevenstar Contest Cup © Sander van der Borch
Contest Yachts' annual northern waters early-summer regatta again proved the power of passion over nature's own power and the joy that can be had whatever the weather.
Well, that was a quite a weekend! In mostly storm cloud conditions set to test resilience, the 2025 Sevenstar Contest Cup sailed out of Medemblik 6-8 June proved the truth of that adage there's no such thing as bad weather if you have the right kit. And if you want to be comfortable at sea, that includes not just foul weather gear but the yacht you're actually on, and as ever the Contest fleet proved the real deal, with the racing playing out superbly, never mind the squalls!
Split between three classes, the 21-strong fleet enjoyed two good races on the Saturday in variable winds and another in stiffer breeze on Sunday, delivering overall wins to Class 1 (>40ft) Contest 42CS Beluga 2, Class 2 (>40ft Classics) Contest 50CS Astridr, and Class 3 (<40ft) Contest 37 Stella Maris. And everyone celebrated, not just on behalf of the victors, but for each other's own personal successes in such challenging weather. There was talk too, of course, of coming back for more at next year's Cup, set already for 5-7 June 2026.
Shoreside, the weather had brought much of the dockside activities indoors to the event's spiritual regatta clubhouse, Café Brakeboer, to include this year a rather lively 'pub quiz' as well as more dance partying after an as always excellent dinner at top restaurant Shun.
A great weekend: challenging, all consuming, and confirmation that Contest Yachts can handle whatever crosses the course!