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