Prologue Race Klaipeda acts as rehearsal for ORC Europeans 2026

by Offshore Racing Congress 30 Jul 16:11 BST July 25-26, 2026

With one week remaining until the 2026 ORC European Championship in Klaipeda, Lithuania's leading offshore teams have completed their final competitive rehearsal at the ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda on July 25-26, held as part of the 59th Curonian Lagoon Regatta.

The two-day event replicated the championship format, combining windward-leeward racing with an offshore coastal race and giving home crews a valuable opportunity to fine-tune their boats, test new equipment and gain further experience on the championship waters.

For Lithuanian sailors, hosting an ORC European Championship on home waters is a unique occasion.

"Usually we have to spend nearly a week travelling to an ORC championship somewhere else in Europe," said Arunas Burkšas, skipper of X-35 Nida III. "Now the championship is coming to Klaipeda. Everyone is sharpening their skills, but we're also proud that the Lithuanian fleet has become stronger with several new competitive boats joining the championship."

ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda 2026, Lithuania - photo © Domas Rimeika

New boats add extra intrigue

Several Lithuanian teams used the Prologue to debut newly acquired yachts ahead of the Europeans.

Among the biggest talking points was Arabela-Citadele, skippered by Raimondas Šiugždinis, which raced its brand-new M.A.T. 11 for the first time. The design has already attracted international attention after winning this year's ORC World Championship in Sorrento, Italy.

"It feels like a very fast boat, but now we have to get to know her," said Šiugždinis. "We need to understand the sail settings, optimise the trim and learn how she behaves. Like students before an exam, we wish we had one more night to prepare-we only hoisted all our sails for the first time today."

Another home contender, Keturi Vejai, also arrived with a new campaign, switching to an X-41, one of the most successful designs in recent ORC competition.

"The Prologue was exactly what we needed," said skipper Karolis Janulionis. "Our new X-41 is still new to us, so every minute on the water is incredibly valuable. The European Championship is almost here, and this was excellent preparation both in the windward-leeward races and in the offshore race."

Of course, Lithuania's new arrivals will not have the spotlight to themselves during the ORC Europeans. They will be joined by some of Europe's strongest international campaigns, adding another layer of sporting intrigue to the championship. Denmark's Stony X, skippered by Steen Toftebjerg, will also campaign one of the new-generation M.A.T. 11 yachts, setting up an exciting duel between two of the most talked-about new designs in offshore racing. Meanwhile, the X-41 fleet promises equally intense competition, with five X-41s entered for the championship, making it one of the strongest one-design battles within the ORC fleet.

ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda 2026, Lithuania - photo © Domas Rimeika

Valuable championship preparation

Saturday's program of the Prologue Race consisted of three windward-leeward races, while Sunday's offshore race gave crews another opportunity to familiarise themselves with the approaches to Klaipeda Harbour and the local sailing conditions.

"What we've learned over these two days definitely gives us a better chance at the Europeans," said Saulius Pajarskas, skipper of Italia 11.98 Rhino. "Even sailing through the harbour channel, there are many small details that become easier once you've done it before. Every training session on these waters is valuable."

The offshore races at the ORC Europeans will begin from the same location, where a well-executed start and a good understanding of the local currents, wind patterns and harbour dynamics can make a significant difference before the fleet reaches the Baltic Sea.

RHINO (Italia 11.98) by Saulius Pajarskas and NIDA III (X-35) by Arunas Burkšas - ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda 2026, Lithuania - photo © Domas Rimeika

Prologue winners

After four races, including the offshore stage, the overall winners of the ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda were:

ORC B Division

ORC C Division

RHINO (Italia 11.98) by Saulius Pajarskas - ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda 2026, Lithuania - photo © Domas Rimeika

Following the Prologue, the fleet continues racing in the Curonian Lagoon Regatta before returning to Klaipeda for the 2026 ORC European Championship, which takes place 7-15 August.

The championship will bring together Europe's strongest offshore teams, including reigning world and European medallists, as Lithuania hosts the ORC title event for the first time in its history. It also forms one of the highlights of the country's celebration of 100 years of Lithuanian offshore sailing.

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026 is funded by the Klaipeda City Municipality and is partially financed by the State Budget of Lithuania through the National Sports Agency.

ARABELA (M.A.T. 11) by Raimondas Šiugždinis - ORC Prologue Race Klaipeda 2026, Lithuania - photo © Domas Rimeika

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026 is organised by the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU), under the authority of the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU) and under the overall authority of the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).

For more information, please visit: orc.org/europeans2026

ORC Partners are Vennvind, TracTrac, PredictWind, Garmin and Leica Geosystems.