Strong competition and tough conditions mark the Long Offshore Race in Helsinki

by Offshore Racing Congress 10 Jul 19:41 BST 8-12 July 2025

The Long Offshore Race, the most demanding stage of the 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship, is well under way in the Gulf of Finland.

After a light-wind start on Wednesday, July 9, in the afternoon, the fleet of 33 double-handed teams from seven nations set out on a challenging course of up to 280 nautical miles, putting their endurance, strategy, and seamanship to the test.

JOLENE (SWE) – A water-ballasted J121 sailed by Fredrik Rydin and Johan Tuvstedt - Long Offshore Race - 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Tactical course across the Gulf of Finland

Classes A and B are sailing a course of 280 nautical miles, while Class C is completing a slightly shorter course of 245 nautical miles. Weather conditions have evolved as predicted: what began as a light breeze has built into steady 8-9 m/s winds overnight, offering a mix of upwind and downwind sailing. The fleet is currently progressing through a long beat along the Estonian coast, heading north toward Porvoo lighthouse, before turning downwind back toward Helsinki Lighthouse for a 20-nautical-mile run, and finally turning again toward the finish line with approximately 12 miles to go. The first boats are expected to finish early Friday morning, with both larger and smaller boats likely to arrive within similar timeframes due to the stable breeze.

Long Offshore Race - 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Close competition across all classes

Competition remains extremely close, with leading boats in all three classes just minutes apart on corrected time. The race is proving to be a tactical chess match, with continuous pressure on crews to stay alert and make the right calls. Spectators and supporters can follow the action live through the TracTrac tracking system, which now includes an integrated Windy weather overlay, allowing real-time access to fleet positions and weather conditions. It is important to note that TracTrac's estimated finish times remain dynamic and will adjust as boats' speeds and weather conditions change.

TIKI MINOS (SWE) - Arcona 340 by Johan Karlsson and Michael Skarped - Long Offshore Race - Garmin ORC DH European Championship Helsinki 2025 - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Retirements along the course

Three boats have retired from the race. In Class A, Monkey 47 (Class 40) of Patrick Lindquist was forced to retire due to an electrical failure that left the boat without power. In Class C Gransegel (FarEast 28R) with Michael Wahlroos and Oskari Muhonen retired due to a broken rudder stock, and Meister Hora (First 31.7) sailed by Martin Fuerst and Nathan Lauer from Germany, retired following rigging damage that could not be repaired at sea. All crew members are safe, and the affected boats are returning to port.

KAMINAMI (FIN) – Rogers 10M sailed by Antti Niiniranta and Peter Flinkmann - Long Offshore Race - Garmin ORC DH European Championship Helsinki 2025 - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Class A: everything still open among the top three

Following the retirement of Monkey 47, the Class A field remains wide open, with three boats locked in a close battle for the top spot. Jolene, a J/121 from Sweden, sailed by Fredrik Rydin and Johan Tuvstedt, has been sailing consistently and is among the front-runners. Close behind is Nike, a Shogun 43 also from Sweden, sailed by Martin Angsell and Anna Drougge, showing strong pace and smart tactics. Finland's Kaminami, a Rogers 10M, sailed by Antti Niiniranta and Peter Flinkmann and his crew, remains firmly in contention and is challenging the Swedish teams for a podium position. With corrected times separated by mere minutes, the outcome in Class A remains fully open as the teams enter the final stages of the race.

MY CAR (EST) – Modified X-35 sailed by Erki Maidre ja Martin Ärm - Long Offshore Race - 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Class B: Tight four-way contest

Class B is shaping into a tightly contested division. Among the front-runners are Arcona 380 Anemon II, sailed by August Pansell and Martin Persson, and Arcona 340 Tiki Minos, sailed by Johan Karlsson and Micheal Skarped, both from Sweden. Finnish team Goodio on Mat 1010, with Kim Jääskeläinen and Turo Nummi onboard, is holding strong, while Estonian team My Car (X-35 mod), sailed by Erki Maidre and Martin Ärm, is keeping pressure on the top group.

INFERNA (FIN), Inferno 31 sailed by Arttu Hult and Jussi Salokangas - Long Offshore Race - 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Class C: Three-way battle for the podium

In Class C, the lead group has formed among three standout teams. Swedish team Garmin Team Pro4u (First 36.7 mod), with experienced ORC sailors, father and son Patrik and Emil Forsgren, is among the top contenders. Estonia's Masu (X-34), also with father-son Andrus and Angus Aarna, matches the pace closely. Finnish team Inferna (Inferno 31), sailed by Arttu Hult and Jussi Salokangas, is also in the hunt, demonstrating both skill and local knowledge.

GARMIN TEAM Pro4u (SWE) – A modified First 36.7 sailed by Patrik Forsgren and his son Emil - Long Offshore Race - 2025 Garmin ORC Double-Handed European Championship - photo © Pepe Korteniemi

Looking ahead to the finish

As the fleet continues toward the final leg of the race, anticipation is building for a dramatic conclusion on Friday morning. After nearly 48 hours of continuous racing, the finish line in Helsinki will welcome the tired but determined sailors.

The Long Offshore can be followed via the live leaderboard and tracking view from TracTrac, allowing fans and teams ashore to follow every shift, lead change, and tactical call as the race unfolds.