Day 5 – The winner took it all in the very last mile, only 1 point between top 3 teams

Final Day

Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025 – Friday, June 27 – Leg 10 and 11

At the start of the 11th and final leg only 4 points separated the top 3 teams. Karlsson/Nordblom just needed to finish in 4th place to secure their 4th win overall. However they entered Sandhamn from the wrong direction and ended up on 5th 10 seconds behind the 4th team. The Aussies took the line honour and had a chance of winning the overall regatta, but were beaten by one point by Ekefalk/Rosengren! In the end, after 5 long days and 11 races, only one point separated the teams on the podium!!!

On the podium:

  • 🥇 ARG 111– Thomas Ekefalk/Rasmus Rosengren
  • 🥈 SWE 007 – Fredrik Karlsson/Niklas Nordblom
  • 🥉 AUS 800 – Emma Rankin/Beau White

Final Results
Final results


 

 

 

 

 

But let’s take it from the beginning of the day…

Leg 10

Start: Rånö at 08:30 with towing

  • 3 Start
  • 58 leave to starboard, Ornö to port
  • 34 Finish on beach, 500m east of CP Mörtö Bunsö

08:00: Grey weather again. Rain followed shortly after. The start boat went out in calm conditions to search for wind. A decision was made to tow the fleet. After 75 minutes of towing, the start was given north of Utö.

A somewhat chilled fleet started at 10:20. First over the start line were Åberg/Simmons and Ekefalk/Rosengren. Downwind leg toward Mörtö Bunsö.

Winds died down over Fjärdlångsfjärden. Rankin/White in the lead.

Patchy wind outside Ornö.

Finish on the beach at Mörtö Bunsö. First boat crossed the line around 12:10. The Raid’s first wipeout and a final sprint to the finish by Karlsson/Nordblom. A wet battle for 7th place was fought between Bengtsson/Degerfors and Schütz/Rumpf.

Top 3 finishers, Leg 10:

  1. Karlsson/Nordblom
  2. Rankin/White
  3. Ekefalk/Rosengren
Screenshot

Leg 11

Start: 13:20

  • 34 Start Mörtö Bunsö
  • 67 southeast of Nämdö, leave to port, paddling allowed from gate
  • 26 Finish (Enter Sandhamn from west to east)

A short lunch break before the final start of this year’s edition of the Stockholm Archipelago Raid.

13:20: Despite light winds, an exciting downwind start with flying hulls among the top contenders.

Winds eased, leading to an upwind beat to the gate east of Nämdö. Rankin/White led through the gate, followed by Åberg/Simmons and Bergendahl/Wallin.

Bengtsson/Degerfors hit a rock just before the gate  nearly sinking and had to abandon the leg, due to damage in one hull. 

Downwind towards Gråskärsfjärden, with varying wind strengths and stretches of paddling.

Finish from west to east near Sandhamn harbour. Two teams initially sailed past the finish, approaching it from east to west, then turned back. All teams paddled to the finish, with Rankin/White arriving first.

Top 3 finishers, Leg 11:

  1. Rankin/White
  2. Åberg/Simmons
  3. Ekefalk/Rosengren

Satisfied, tired, and exhilarated warriors gathered at Sandhamn’s square. Wet clothes were exchanged for dry ones before the prize ceremony and later regatta dinner at the Seglarhotellet.

 

 

 

 

Day 4 – the longest day, it felt like

SAR JUNE 26, 2025 Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025 Thursday, June 26 – Leg 8 and 9

Leg 8 – Start at 9:00

  • 6 Start (south of the Finnhamn lagoon) – Paddling allowed from start to finish
  • 94 to starboard – Björkskärsfjärden
  • 24 Finish  close Stora Alskär

The morning’s most satisfying trade: a daggerboard for some batteries.

Sunshine all around and surprising warmth. Several sailors felt overdressed already on the way to the start.

Paddling across the start line ransitioned into light upwind conditions, with some support paddling likely all the way to the first checkpoint.

Two groups of five boats each held a steady downwind course toward Stora Alskär. Wallin/Riccius and Mårten/Richter missed CP 94.

First to finish was Ekefalk/Rosengren, with a solid lead over the second boat—7 minutes ahead: Åberg/Simmons and Rankin/White.

Lunch at Stora Alskär on flat rocks and sand in warming sunshine.

Top 3 finishers, Leg 8

  1. Ekefalk/Rosengren
  2. Åberg/Simmons
  3. Rankin/White

Leg 9 – Start 14:00

  • 24 Start Alskär
  • 32 to port – Bullerö
  • 48 to port (close by) – Norsten
  • 54 to starboard (close by) – Huvudskär
  • 61 to starboard, paddling allowed
  • 3 Finish on the beach – Rånö

Downwind start – Karlsson/Nordblom got the best start, followed closely by Ekefalk/Rosengren and Bengtsson/Degerfors.

A bit further Åberg/Simmons squeezed into third place, with Bengtsson/Degerfors and Bergendahl/Wallin closely behind in steady 4–6 m/s winds. Interesting to see how this holds over the remaining 38 nautical miles.

About halfway, at CP 48 Morsten, six boats were tacking in a tight group aiming for Huvudskär.

Karlsson/Nordblom had a few minutes’ lead, but a ripped gennaker cost them time.

Good speed through Huvudskär, then fading wind outside Utö, followed by a shift to the south and rising wind again … and then another drop. Finish at Rånö.

Just before 8 p.m., the first boat Rankin/White crossed the finish line, closely followed by Åberg/Simmons.

At the finish: horn, beer, and a stunning sunset for the exhausted sailors. Debatable whether … or just how much … the beer tasted good after such a long day.

Today’s time of sailing: 10.5 hours including the lunch stop. Sauna and food followed, meanwhile three boats were towed in, and Eriksson/Hinnerson made it home on their own, reaching the beach at 22:30!

Top 3 finishers, Leg 9

  1. Rankin/White
  2. Åberg/Simmons
  3. Ekefalk/Rosengren

  1.  

Day 3 – Epic first leg 5.30 in the morning, rocky in the afternoon

Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025 – Wednesday, June 25 – Leg 5, 6 and 7.

Leg 5 – Start 5:30

  • 4 – Start Fejan
  • 78 – leave to starboard
  • 43 – leave to starboard
  • 44 – leave to starboard
  • 88 – finish between L. Gräskö

A very early morning with cool, damp air. The officials, who had spent the night on Lidö, traveled to a quiet and tense Fejan. The sailors packed up their tents, got dressed, and rigged their boats. Breakfast bags and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) to bring onboard.

A perfect upwind start in 5 m/s with ten boats. Some chose a starboard start, others port. Ekefalk/Rosengren crossed the start line first, heading toward the northernmost island Arholma. The course then turned back south and out to the open sea in increasing winds before rounding the epic lighthouse Söderarm, and then more east toward the finish at Lilla Gräskö at the family Östermans private recidence where we were welcomed with open arms and coffe. Former F18 sailor Anders Tengbom showed up with his amphibious airplane.

After less than 4 hours of fast sailing, the top 3 teams were:

Top 3 finishers, Leg 5:

  1. Karlsson/Nordblom
  2. Ekefalk/Rosengren
  3. Bengtsson/Degerfors

Finish at Gräskö: 9:25 AM.

(Wallin/Riccius and Mårten/Richter – shortened course; Åberg/Simmons – DNF; Rankin/White – NSC for incorrect rounding of cp 44)

Leg 6 – Start 11:30

  • 88 – Start
  • 45 to starboard (close by)
  • 66 – finish on the beach at Husarö
  • Sound signal finish

The fleet blasted off on a downwind start in a fresh 7 m/s breeze, charging southeast into the maze of islands north of Rödlöga. From the start, Rankin/White, Mårten/Richter, and Bengtsson/Degerfors showed their intent with aggressive positioning. Ekefalk/Rosengren were right in the mix—until fate struck. They snagged an anchor line and pitch-poled, sending their cat into a somersault. But the crew recovered fast and were back in the race within minutes.

This leg turned out to be one of the most dramatic yet. Ekefalk/Rosengren’s misfortunes weren’t over—a crew member was tossed overboard but managed to cling on behind the boat. Meanwhile, Rankin/White shattered a daggerboard navigating the treacherous shallows. The entire fleet battled complex navigation, unpredictable gusts, and a scattering of submerged hazards.

As the wind tapered near Husarö, the final approach turned tactical. With boats converging toward the finish, Ekefalk/Rosengren and Åberg/Simmons were neck-and-neck. In a bold move, Rosengren jumped ashore and sprinted through the forest, shortcutting to the finish horn—beating Åberg/Simmons by seconds.

After a cold and testing leg, the sun finally broke through—lifting spirits just in time for rest and repairs.

Top 3 Finishers – Leg 6:

  1. Karlsson/Nordblom
  2. Ekefalk/Rosengren
  3. Åberg/Simmons

Leg 7

  • 66 – Start L Gräskö
  • 52 to port – Finnhamn
  • 20 to starboard – PA (paddling allowed) Norra Möja (possibly S-flag)
  • 72 to port (close by) – PA Stavsudda
  • 6 – Finish on the beach on Finnhamn

Start: 15:00

The afternoon start at Gräskö saw the fleet once again heading off downwind—but not everyone made it off cleanly. Rankin/White had to delay their start by five minutes to patch up damage from a collision with a rock.

Forty minutes into the leg, Åberg/Simmons had seized the lead, followed by Bengtsson/Degerfors, Karlsson/Nordblom, and Ekefalk/Rosengren. But the course was soon altered, removing waypoint 72 and shifting tactics across the fleet.

The reshuffle brought a new top pack: Åberg/Simmons still leading, chased by Karlsson/Nordblom, Ekefalk/Rosengren, Bergendahl/Wallin, and Rankin/White clawing back time after their delayed start.

But disaster struck again. Bengtsson/Degerfors suffered a daggerboard-breaking collision with another rock, forcing them to retire from the leg.

The leg ended with a picturesque finish at Finnhamn’s beach in “paradiset”, the paradise, where the horn and flag signaled the end of leg 7.

Top 3 Finishers – Leg 7:

  1. Åberg/Simmons
  2. Ekefalk/Rosengren
  3. Karlsson/Nordblom

Mårten/Richter and Wallin/Riccius did not start this leg.

Day 2 – Champagne sailing, but a major setback for team New Zealand

Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025. Tuesday June 24 – leg 3 och 4.

Leg 3 – Tactical Starts and a Long Reach to Rödlöga
Start: Grinda | Distance: Approx. 25 Nm

  • Grinda start outside beach
  • 18 leave to starboard Nassa
  • 17 leave to port Nassa
  • 7 finish Rödlöga

Day 2 began with 11 boats lining up at Grinda for what would become a fast and scenic leg across the archipelago. The wind held steady at 5–10 m/s, shifting just enough to keep teams on their toes during the upwind start.

Karlsson/Nordblom seized the lead right out of the gate, with Rankin/White and Ekefalk/Rosengren in close pursuit. However, things got a little chaotic on the line — Åberg/Simmons jumped the gun and had to take a 360° penalty turn. Oddly enough, Rankin/White also completed a penalty turn, though the reason remains a mystery.

Once around Grinda, the fleet caught the breeze and took off downwind. Karlsson/Nordblom extended their lead significantly, sailing confidently past Möja and weaving through the beautiful but challenging Nassa archipelago. Behind them, Rankin/White and Ekefalk/Rosengren fought for second, but the leaders were never seriously threatened.

The weather mirrored the mood — grey skies gave way to sunshine as the fleet closed in on the day’s finish near Rödlöga. Karlsson/Nordblom crossed the line a full ten minutes ahead of the next boat, showing dominant form. Ekefalk/Rosengren managed to edge out Rankin/White to claim second place.

After the finish, one incident was reported: Schütz/Rumpf ran aground but fortunately without major consequences.

Sailors were treated to a well-earned lunch at Rödlöga, wrapping up a 25-nautical-mile leg that featured long beam reaches, tactical decision-making, and classic archipelago scenery.

Top 3 – Leg 3:
🥇 Karlsson/Nordblom
🥈 Ekefalk/Rosengren
🥉 Rankin/White

Leg 4 start: 14:20

7 start Rödlöga
44 leave to port
46 leave to port
4 leave to port at Fejan gate
91 leave to port at Lidö
4 finish from south to north at Fejan

Leg 4
Tuesday Afternoon | Rödlöga to Fejan Gate (Shortened Course) | Approx. 22 Nm

The second leg of Day 2 began at 14:20 under a light drizzle and with tension in the air — quite literally. The teams lined up for a tight downwind start, where Karlsson/Nordblom were quickly dealt a setback: a penalty forced them into a 360° turn just seconds after the horn.

Unfazed, both Karlsson/Nordblom and Ekefalk/Rosengren broke away from the pack, choosing a bold easterly route directly from Rödlöga. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet threaded the narrow channel between Gräskläppen and Askören. The split made for an exciting gamble, though the fleets later converged further north as the breeze began to settle.

Through the afternoon, wind conditions improved slightly but remained tricky — gradually easing and shifting. By the time the boats reached the Fejan gate, the breeze had dropped to a whisper — just 1–4 m/s — prompting the race committee to shorten the course and relocate the finish line accordingly.

Despite the fading wind, one team suffered more than just slow progress. Marra/Duske (NZL) suffered a serious hull breach and came dangerously close to sinking. Fortunately, they were safely towed to Gräddö, but their raid was sadly over.

The rest of the fleet pushed on in the light air, and it was Rankin/White who showed their finesse, securing the win. Karlsson/Nordblom recovered impressively to take second, while Åberg/Simmons claimed third — their first top-three finish of the event.

In the evening as all teams came ashore the hot showers and a well-earned sauna felt really good. Hamburgers were served before the tents were pitched for another short night under the stars before the early start the following day.

Top 3 – Leg 4:
🥇 Rankin/White
🥈 Karlsson/Nordblom
🥉 Åberg/Simmons

Day 1 – A windy start and some paddling!

Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025. Monday June 23 – leg 1 and 2

Leg 1 – A Wet Start and Wild Gybing Duels
Start: 10:00 | Distance: Approx. 21 Nm

  • 1 Start PA (Paddling Allowed)
    NP (No Paddling) from end of Skurusundet
  • 22 Leave to SB (Starboard)
    Finish on beach next to 22 (sound the horn by the beach flag)

The first day of the Stockholm Archipelago Raid kicked off with 12 eager teams and soggy gear — everything was already soaked before anyone even left the shore. Fortunately, the rain paused just in time for the 10:00 start. Winds ranged between 7 and 10 m/s, promising a fast and challenging day on the water.

Karlsson/Nordblom claimed an early lead as the fleet set off, soon splitting into three distinct groups. Meanwhile, the race committee boat had a rough start of its own — striking an underwater cable and sacrificing its anchor to break free.

Just 15 minutes into the race, all teams had reached the narrow Baggenstäket strait, alternating between tacking and paddling to squeeze through. Once through, they faced gusty off-wind conditions in Skurusundet, where the action really heated up. Four teams — Karlsson/Nordblom, Ekefalk/Rosengren, Åberg/Simmons, and Rankin/White — traded places in a thrilling series of gybes, testing their reflexes and teamwork.

As the fleet stretched out toward Vaxholm, a few teams encountered trouble. Blomborn/Jönsson suffered a broken spinnaker pole and had to withdraw. Others capsized in the challenging breeze.

After covering around 21 nautical miles, the teams landed on the beach at Sandön for a well-deserved lunch — damp, tired, and definitely ready for more.

Top 3 – Leg 1:
🥇 Karlsson/Nordblom
🥈 Ekefalk/Rosengren
🥉 Rankin/White

Leg 2 – Upwind Battles and a Grinda Finish
Start: 14:25 | Finish: North of Grinda

Only 10 boats made the start of Leg 2, as Mårten/Richter did not continue. The wind had picked up slightly, blowing a steady 7–12 m/s — ideal conditions for an upwind leg.

 

 

Leg 2: Start 14:25

  • 22 start near by Sandön
  • 72 Leave to port
  • 55 Leave to port
  • 73 Leave to port, finish about 100m after CP (North Grinda)

Rankin/White nailed the start and led the fleet on a tactical route past Stavsudda and west of Svartsö, pushing hard toward the finish north of Grinda. The conditions demanded precision and stamina, with tight racing and changing positions along the course.

After another tough leg, the fleet arrived at Grinda — filled with race officials and tired but happy sailors. A great dinner steak was served as the stories from the day were flowing. With two legs down and more racing to come, the raid is off to a thrilling start.

Top 3 – Leg 2:
🥇 Rankin/White
🥈 Ekefalk/Rosengren
🥉 Karlsson/Nordblom

Registration and safety inspection

Stockholm Archipelago Raid 2025. Sunday June 22 – preparations.

A day for the teams to get ready, including rigging and equipping the boats, registration and weighing, safety inspection and for some of the teams a final test sailing. A welcome meeting with sausages and beer was followed by the skippers meeting with a safety briefing and a presentation of the sailing condition and the first waypoints of the race.

Nine Swedish teams, one team from Germany, one from New Zealand and one team from Australia. The 2 teams from the UK unfortunately had a car accident and the trailer landed on the side with both boats being damaged beyond a quick repair. Fortunately no one in the crews got injured!

Tomorrow’s wind forecast shows 8-15 m/s, which makes exciting conditions and the start is therefore from Saltsjöbaden and west towards Baggensstäket.

All twelve teams will cross the start line in downwind, then half-wind (paddling allowed) through Baggensstäket. The first finish is Sandön south of Grinda.

14 teams in two weeks

In just two weeks, 14 teams from 5 countries have signed up for the  25th edition of the Stockholm Archipelago Raid.

Among the registered teams is the 2023 F18 World Champion Rasmus Rosengren, paired with Archipelago Raid winner Thomas Ekefalk (SWE). They will challenge the three-time Raid winners Karlsson/Nordblom (SWE). Notably, this year also marks the participation of the first-ever team from New Zealand, Marra/Duske (NZA). Additionally, the German Raid veterans Schütz/Rumpf (GER), who completed the Worrel 1000 in 2024, will be competing. Two UK teams with previous Archipelago Raid experience will also be joining the race.

3 Swedish Youth teams Åberg/Norrby, Eriksson/Hinnersson and Rehman Linder/TBD have also signed up so far.

11 spots remains for this edition that will mark the 25th edition since the first raid in 2001 by Atlant Ocean Racing. Don’t wait to secure your place.

Skipper Name Crew Name Country Sail number Sailing Club
Christian Schütz Stefan Rumpf Germany GER 340 STS Surendorf
Alex Barry Sandy Rimmington Ireland TBC Monkstown Bay Sailing Club 
Jason Marra Brendon Duske New Zealand NZL 1 Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Peter Middleton Dani Middleton United Kingdom (UK) GBR 505 Saltash SC
Archie Massey Harvey Hillary United Kingdom (UK) TBC Itchenor Sailing Club
Magnus Bergendahl Erik Wallin Sweden SWE 4 KSSS
Mattias Wallin Henrik Riccius Sweden SWE 017 KSSS
Edvin Åberg Theodor Norrby Sweden SWE 363 Gefle segelsällskap
Anders Mårten Mikael Sommansson Richter Sweden SWE 78 KSSS
Thomas Blomborn Anton Jönsson Sweden SWE 888 LJS
Thomas Ekefalk Rasmus Rosengren Sweden TBC KSSS
Fredrik Karlsson Niklas Nordblom Sweden SWE 007 KSSS
Max Rehman Linder TBD Sweden SWE 1 KSSS
Wilhelm Eriksson Viggo Hinnerson Sweden TBC TBC

Dates set for the 25th consecutive raid in the Stockholm Archipelago

A more extreme adventure with paddling, sleeping in tents and possibly crossing to Åland for the first time since 2009.

In 2001 Atlant ocean racing launced the original ”Archipelago Raid”, an extreme race with F18 Catamarans in the Stockholm and Åland Archipelagos. “The first edition was very windy, so we couldn’t sail to Åland that year”, Franck Cammas told us when he was in Stockholm earlier this year to receive the Mange Olsson award. Cammas was the first winner together with Steve Ravussin. Most years however the race did go to Åland and it was a very extreme race were teams some times sailed all night just to get to the finish in time for the next start. The Archipelago Raid by Atlant Ocean Racing was organised for the last time in 2009.

Since 2010 the raid is organised by Swedish F18 association and it has been sailed every year since 2001 making this edition the 25th. It also makes it the only international sailing competition in the world that has been sailed every year for 25 consecutive years thanks to Swedens less restrictive travel policy during the pandemic in 2020/2021. See the F18 hall of fame for all winners.  

The “Stockholm Archipealgo Raid extreme” 2025 will be ran in the spirit of the original raid and for the first time since 2009 intention is to cross the Åland Sea. The course will be up to 50% longer each day compared with last years, but unlike the original, the intention is to get all teams back on shore in time to have a proper dinner together each day and maybe even a sauna some times. Therefore, like the original, the starts can be as early as 4.30 in the morning.

Comparison of raid concepts

Key highlights of the Stockholm Archipelago Raid “extreme”: 

  • Sailing is extended to 5 days and the race is moved to the end of June when the sun rises at 3:30 and the nights are very short to enable longer distances each day. It is also a time of year that improves the chances to cross the Åland Sea.
  • The start is in Saltsjöbaden/Stockholm and the first base camp will be at Fejan or Lidö in the northern parts of the archipelago. If the winds are too strong to cross the Åland sea the RO will utilise the entire Stockholm archipelago to the maximum to create a fantastic course among its 36000 islands.
  • Base Camps will be decided as late as one day before to allow for maximum flexibility. Finish on day 5 however will be in Sandhamn.
  • Paddling with one paddle will be allowed, but only between Check Points pre-defined by the Race Organisation.
  • Sailors will sleep in sleeping bags in their own tents that will be carried by the race organization between the base camps.
  • A proper meal will be served every evening and a breakfast bag to go and lunch packs will be distributed each morning.
  • All personal gear is carried on board the F18’s in the hull or on the trampoline.
26th of August 2024

 

 

2 alternative race areas 

Both alternatives start with a race from Saltsjöbaden to Base Camp 1 at Fejan or Lidö. Latest in the evening that day the Race Committee will decide whether to go for alternative A or B depending on the wind conditions.

Race area A

  • Day 2 start with a crossing to Åland. Base Camps in Åland day 2 and 3 to be decided the day before. Possible sites are Kökar, Lappo, Sandösund, Mariehamn etc.
  • Day 4 crossing to Sweden late afternoon. Base Camp at Fejan or Lidö.
  • Day 5 finish at Sandhamn were thousands of sailors are gathered for the start of Gotland Off Shore Race.

Race area B (too windy to cross Åland Sea)

  • Day 2 sail south in the Stockholm Archipelago.
  • Base Camps day 2, 3 amd 4 to be decided the day before. Possible sites are Rånö, Nässlingen, Gålö, Björkvik, Stora Sand, Husarö, Svartsö etc.
  • Day 5 finish at Sandhamn were thousands of sailors are gathered for the start of Gotland Off Shore Race.

Race area A and B are the more or less the same in the northern parts of the Stockholm Archipelago, but race area B cover larger areas in the inner parts.

Stockholm and Åland Archipelagos and alternative race courses 2025

 

Dates and registration

Registration, safety control and breifing will take place on Sunday the 22nd of June 2025 in Saltsjöbaden. 5 days of racing from the 23rd and finish in Sandhamn on the 27th of June. Sailors will back in Saltsjöbaden about noon on Saturday the 28th. The F18 World Championship in the Netherlands starts one week later, giving time to rest and logistics for teams who plan to do both.

For more details about the concept, time schedule check out here.

The places are limited to 25 teams for safety and logistical reasons and sign up will start on Sunday the 1st of February 2025. 

All teams are winners…

…but some are more winners than others.

Open class:
1st – Jacob Lundqvist / Oscar Lundqvist (SWE)
2nd: Fredrik Karlsson / Niklas Nordblom (SWE)
3rd – Ad Noordzij / Arthur Moerman (NED)
Mixed:
1st Jan Hedmann Jensen / Penny Wyon (DEN) , not in picture

 

Day 1

16 teams with 6 nationalities finally made it to start to the 24th raid in the Stockholm Archipelago on Thursday the 22nd of August. The forecast looked good with winds from 15-25 knots from south west, but a bit gusty. 

The downwind start in Saltsjöbaden in a gentle breeze gave raid rookies time to get acquainted with their navigation and safety equipment. But pretty quickly the wind picked up and offered champagne downwind reaching on starboard tack in 15-20 knots to the outer archipelago in less than 2 hours. 

Lunch break day 1 at Murtö Bunsö

Second leg started with a roaring reach with 15-20 knots of wind from the beam . After the 10 minute reach the teams could set the kites and start gybing the 20 Nm downwind to the finish in Sandhamn in increasing winds.  The sauna was hot and the beer cold and after a good 2 meal course the sailors went to bed fairly early, since start the next day was announced to 8 o’clock.

The performance of the teams of day 1 would repeat itself over the coming days. The top 5-7 teams were all chasing each other and often finished within 10 minutes after the winner after 3 hours of sailing. Typically the Lundqvist brothers (SWE111) made a good start and took the lead. Other teams in the top where Karlsson(Nordblom (SWE007), Busck/Rosengren (SWE64), the Wunderles (GER 33), Noordziij/MOerman (NED 15), young team Åberg/Norrby (SWE 363) and Linder/Brunnberg (SWE 1) when then managed to not break anything. 

In the second group both mixed teams with Hedman/Wyon (DEN 11) and father and daughter Schütz (GER 340) as well as Bergendahl/Johnzon (SWE 4) and Joyriders Bennet/Caufield (IRL 789) and some others followed, all performing very solid and usually within sight of the front group.

A third group in the back with some newer F18 sailors who sometimes struggled in the very windy conditions this year. In the end 12 out of the 16 teams crossed the finish line on the final leg. 4 teams could not complete that leg either because of material failure or because they chose not to start or had to abandoned race some previous day.

Day 2

The gennaker start was north of Sandhamn/Lökholmen and the first leg took the fleet out to pretty remote islands. The first passage was through the iconic archipelago of Björkskär, via some check points to Rödlöga, one of few places in the outer archipelago with a small supermarket and Cafe Truten, that opened up for the raid sailors to get a coffee and a cinemon bun.  

Café Truten

Due to a pretty nasty forecast with gusts over 30 knots of wind the 4th leg had to be cancelled. Instead a “jib race” to get all teams to base camp Lidö some 12 Nm north. The F18 can reach 10 knots on just the 4 m2 jib with an average speed of 6 knots in these conditions, but they can’t go upwind, which required some planning not to end up in the wrong place.

Again the sailors enjoyed a great dinner before going to sleep in “lyxury” hotel rooms with clean sheets and made beds. 

Day 3

During the night some pretty heavy winds passed, but in the morning a steady breeze of 20-25 knots was on. Breakfast was served at 8 and at 10.30 the wind was deemed stable enough to start the 4th leg. At this point 3 teams had abandoned race for different reasons and 14 boats came to start.

The course was drawn closer to main land to avoid too much open water with too heavy winds and waves. But instead it was pretty gusty and still on the edge for the F18s. If day 1 and 2 was all about gennaker runs, day 3 was mainly upwind, but with some down wind between Check points to make the course more interesting.

It was a pretty tired bunch that seeked shelter at Möja Björkvik and some teams had misunderstood the instruction and accidentally beached their F18s too close to a house on private property. 

The final leg of the day was a loop deeper into the middle archipelago, through the “paradise bay” of Finnhamn before reaching base camp Nässlingen. The Sauna there is great and cold beer was supplied by the local bakery/brewery at Ingmarsö that also served an excellent dinner and breakfast.

Day 4

Again a windy forecast with 20-30 kots of wind from the SW, meaning mainly upwind sailing to get back to the finish in Saltsjöbaden. The start was downwind however with a 20 minutes gennaker run before turning south and start a long leg with many tacks in increasing winds. After a short lunch break at a beach at Stavsnäs the final race was on. One hour upwind followed by a one hour reach in speeds sometimes exceeding 20 knots. One boat dismasted and had to be towed. And one of the safety boats had an engine stop and also had to be towed by a third safety boat. Fortunately the Race Committee boat could continue to the finish just in time to lay the finish line.

It was a tired, but very happy crowd that gathered for the price ceremony while waiting for the luggage and spare parts to get back to port. And even if only a few teams got the medals all teams, who fought and battled to get to the finish line of each leg, felt like winners. 

 

For results, check points list and maps see here.

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We’re off to a flying start

There was excitement in the air as 17 teams (Teams 2024 | Stockholm Archipelago Raid) gathered for registration, safety inspection and team breifing on Wednesday evening. All boats and crews are now ready to go and the start is 10 o’clock tomorrow morning 22nd of August.

Leg 1 

  • 1 Start (Saltsjöbaden)
  • 39 Leave to starboard
  • 38 Leave to port
  • 48 Leave to starboard
  • 34 Finish close to beach in Mörtö Bunsö

Leg 2

  • 34 Start close to beach
  • 50 Leave to port
  • 49 Leave to port
  • 32 Leave to starboard
  • 2 Finish just outside CP

Link to the Check Points

The forecast looks great with winds from south west all 4 days, between 15 and 25 knots most of the time.  The first 2 legs will take the fleet through the inner, middle archipelagos and round some island pretty far out before turning north to the base camp at Sandhamn/Lökholmen.
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