A Passionate Adventure – Roschier Baltic Sea Race

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has received strong interest for the Roschier Baltic Sea Race, with over 30 teams expected for the inaugural 630-mile offshore race which starts and finishes outside Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

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An International Fleet prepares for the Roschier Baltic Sea Race

With the new Roschier Baltic Sea Race starting from Helsinki Finland on 21^st of July, the international fleet is preparing for the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s inaugural 630-mile offshore race. Over half of the teams on the current entry list come from countries on the Baltic Sea, including the host nation Finland, plus Denmark, Germany, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Teams from Great Britain and Spain will be sailing to Helsinki to take part in the race.

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Roschier announced as RORC Baltic Sea Race title sponsor

A new era of offshore racing in the Baltic Sea begins in 2022 with the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s new 630 nautical-mile race, starting from Helsinki, Finland on 21st July and heading around Gotland before returning to the tranquil harbours of Helsinki. The RORC, with its local associate – Ocean Racing Association, welcomes Roschier as the title sponsor for The Baltic Sea Race.

_{New RORC 600-miler: Around 30 teams from seven countries will take on the Roschier Baltic Sea Race starting from Helsinki, Finland on 21st July 2022 © Pepe Korteniemi}

The Nordic law firm begins a long-term partnership with the race, which will be officially named The Roschier Baltic Sea Race for the 2022 and 2024 editions. With offices in Helsinki and Stockholm, Roschier has a presence on both sides of the Baltic and a passionate affinity with promoting the sea's maritime culture in various ways.

Equally delighted by the support from Roschier are the official race supporters: the City of Helsinki, the Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK), Finnish Offshore Racing Association (AMP), Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK), FINIRC and the Xtra Stærk Ocean Racing Society.

Managing Partner Mikko Manner of Roschier notes: “We are very proud to sponsor this exciting new race with the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Sailing combines two of Roschier's core values - teamwork and pioneering spirit; both equally important in high-performing environments. Setting long and short-term goals, working together in tightly knit teams and taking bold decisions when needed, are at the core in offshore racing and advocacy alike.”

Jeremy Wilton, CEO Royal Ocean Racing Club: “From the conception of this race, the RORC was excited by the passion and commitment from our partners in Finland. We are delighted to welcome Roschier who share our desire to establish a great offshore race in the Baltic Sea. Working with our partners, we are committed to providing all the ingredients for the Roschier Baltic Sea Race to become a race that the international yacht racing community aspires to be part of.”

_{Past winner of the 2020 RORC Caribbean 600, Tilmar Hansen's German TP52 J/V Outsider will be one to watch in the Roschier Baltic Sea Race © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com}

With three months to the start of the Roschier Baltic Sea Race, the entry list boasts 30 teams from at least seven countries: Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Finnish teams provide a strong presence and notable international entries include two winning skippers from the RORC Caribbean 600: Tilmar Hansen’s German TP52 J/V Outsider and Ireland’s Adrian Lee racing his Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners.

_{Hypr Ocean Racing's Volvo Open 70 will be one of the largest entries © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com}

The largest entry to date is Kenneth Bjorklund’s Norwegian CNB 76 Ender Pearl, closely followed by two Volvo 70s from overseas: The Polish National Foundation’s I Love Poland and HYPR skippered by Spain’s Jens Lindner. The smallest entries include two Finnish entrants: Salla Kaven’s H-323 Silvermoonii and Markku Hentinen’s x-99 Vinca. Classic yachts participating include Tapio Lehtinen’s Swan 55 Galiana and Santtu Parikka’s S&S 40 Pam.

_{Helsinki's Tapio Lehtinen is a well-known round the world, life long sailor who will be entering his classic 1970s Sparkman & Stephens Swan 55 Yawl Galiana © Tapio Lehtinen}

Competitors successfully completing the Roschier Baltic Sea Race will qualify for membership of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, and boats that finish the race will automatically qualify for the 50^th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race in August 2023.

To enter the Roschier Baltic Sea Race and for more information visit: http://www.rorc.org/baltic-sea-race

ROSCHIER Baltic Sea Race Launched

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) together with the Ocean Racing Alliance (ORA) are delighted to announce a new offshore race to start on 21st July 2022. The RORC Baltic Sea Race is open to boats racing under IRC, MOCRA, Class40 Rules and other class associations.

The race of approximately 630 nautical miles will start and finish off Helsinki in the Gulf of Finland. The course will incorporate the Swedish island of Gotland, located approximately 250nm southwest of Helsinki.

The race is supported by the City of Helsinki, the Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK), Finnish Ocean Racing Association (FORA), Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK), FINIRC and the Xtra Stærk Ocean Racing Society. The local class association, Finnish Offshore Racing Association (AMP) will also work together with other offshore class associations in surrounding Baltic Sea countries to promote the race.

“The Royal Ocean Racing Club has a history of organising new offshore races, such as the RORC Caribbean 600 and the RORC Transatlantic Race,” commented RORC Racing Manager Chris Stone. “The Baltic Sea Race has all the criteria for producing a race that is ideal for offshore racing, as well as good logistics for competitors and the race team. On top of that, our partners in Finland have a real passion for hosting a race in their own region.”

The route of the new RORC Baltic Sea Race starting on 21st July 2022 © RORC

Competitors in the RORC Baltic Sea Race boats will be docked in the city centre of Helsinki (Katajanokka Harbour) © Kari Ylitalo/Helsinki Marketing

With over 5,000 miles of coastline, nine countries border the Baltic Sea, all with profound seafaring tradition and racing history: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and Russia. Interest for the RORC Baltic Sea Race is also expected from Ireland, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

The Ocean Racing Alliance (ORA) mission is to create international alliances to make it possible to have longer world class offshore races in the Baltic Sea. The Ocean Racing Alliance (ORA) Commodore and Class40 skipper, Ari Känsäkoski has competed in three Rolex Fastnet Races, the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race, the RORC Transatlantic Race and the RORC Caribbean 600: “We expect strong interest from teams participating from Finland and from all of the nations that border the Baltic Sea. The 2021 test event showed that the course for the RORC Baltic Sea Race is very interesting,” commented Känsäkoski. “The course is very strategic with land influences in the Gulf of Finland and around Gotland. In addition, it is basically on a windward leeward axis, so we expect tactical decisions on which side of the course to choose, as well as managing wind shifts.”

The Baltic Sea in July is a magical environment, with daylight and twilight perpetuating 20 hours a day. Day time air temperatures differ from offshore to coastal locations. In July, 8-10 knots of wind from the west-southwest is common. Summer storms are very rare, but conditions can change dramatically due to squalls and thermal activity. The Baltic Sea can be described as a tideless semi-enclosed sea, but wind-driven currents can produce waves of 1.5 metres.

Aerial view of Helsinki: The strategic 630nm course strategic will include land influences in the Gulf of Finland and around Gotland © Helsinki Marketing

Arto Linnervuo raced his XP 44 Xtra Stærk with an all-Finnish crew in several RORC races during the 2018-2019 season, including the RORC Transatlantic Race, RORC Caribbean 600, and the Rolex Fastnet Race. This autumn Linnervuo will take charge of a new Infiniti 52 Tulikettu. The primary objectives for the new boat are to be the first Finnish crew to win a major RORC race and to win the RORC Season’s Points Championship. “We have already achieved some good results with the XP 44 Xtra Stærk,” commented Linnervuo, whose team was fourth in class for the 2019 RORC Season’s Points Championship. “We strongly believe that the new foil-driven Infiniti 52 will be one of the most interesting new offshore racing yachts entering the scene, and we are so excited about getting a chance to introduce her to our fans in Finland for the RORC Baltic Sea Race.”

Arto Linnervuo's new foil-driven Infiniti 52R Tulikettu - looking to be the first Finnish crew to win a major RORC race and to win the RORC Season’s Points Championship © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

To express your interest in the race and for more information, please contact the Royal Ocean Racing Club: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / +44 1983 295 144