Event
Race of the (almost) midnight sun
The first edition of the 600-mile Roschier Baltic Sea Race showed just how good the sailing – and racing – can be up here in high summer
Given the continued success and growing enthusiasm around the globe for 600-mile offshore races it was only a matter of time before demand for one in the Baltic became overwhelming. The biennial Roschier Baltic Sea Race, which first took place in 2022, has all the ingredients of a classic race of this type: a myriad of islands and lighthouses in a region steeped in maritime history, plus a tactically challenging course set on a typically windward-leeward axis that saw the lower-rated boats enjoying 300 miles of downwind sailing to the finish. Historically most Europeans
have tended to head south for their summer breaks and regattas, most often to the Mediterranean. However, the oppressive heatwaves of the past few years demonstrate that this no longer guarantees decent, comfortable weather. By contrast, the Baltic typically offers sunny and settled summer weather, with high-pressure dominating. In July average afternoon temperatures rise comfortably above 20°C, while daily means are a little higher than those of the south coast of the UK, making this region an increasingly attractive destination at the height of summer. Even in heatwaves temperatures rarely exceed 30°C by a large margin. Like the Mediterranean, the
Baltic benefits from a wide variety of countries with rich maritime histories and diverse cultures along
62 SEAHORSE
its 5,000-mile coastline. Uniquely for a 600-mile race the course is bordered by six different nations: Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. The Roschier Baltic Sea Race is
a collaboration between Finland’s Ocean Racing Alliance and the Royal Ocean Racing Club, which brings its unrivalled race management expertise to the event. The first edition benefitted from an explosion of interest in an event of this type, particularly from Finnish, Estonian and Polish sailors, who were joined by teams across the Baltic states and as far away as the UK, Spain and the United States. Its end of July timing was
carefully chosen to maximise the probability of consistent winds. Although competitors therefore miss out on racing just above 60° north at the summer solstice, there’s still almost 20 hours of daylight and astronomical twilight is never reached, making it a magical experience that’s unique in the world of offshore racing. Seasonal weather norms at this
time are for southwesterly winds averaging 8-10 knots, with some lighter sections, but others with stronger breezes. There’s also potential for thermal activity, including squalls, that add to the challenges of the 635-mile course. Land influences, predominantly near the start and finish in the Gulf of Finland, as well as the 73-mile-long
Above: Midnight Sun at the start of the inaugural Roschier Baltic Sea Race off Helsinki, which began with a light southerly breeze. A total of 213 sailors from 18 countries took part in the 2022 edition
Swedish island of Gotland, make it a very strategic race, while the lack of strong tidal streams gives navigators a wide range of routing options. The first edition saw 213 sailors
from 18 nations depart under clear blue skies and a light southerly breeze that filled in as the fleet passed the Helsinki Lighthouse, 12 miles from the start line. While it’s not unusual for offshore races to include a lighthouse as a mark of the course, a unique aspect of this race is that three of them form marks of the course. Helsinki’s is relatively recent, having been constructed in the late 1950s, but Harmaja Lighthouse, on a small islet close to the port has been an important landmark since the 16th century, although a light was not established until 1883. Almagrundet lighthouse, some
200miles fromthe start, stands on a shoal a fewmiles offshore from the outer islands of the Stockholm archipelago. The current 28-metre high light was built as a remotely operated lighthouse in 1964, replacing two lightships that had operated since the late 19th century. For the inaugural race the first
part of the course favoured the larger and faster boats, with the Volvo 70 I Love Poland reaching Almagrundet after 15 intense hours of racing that included six sail changes. At that point she held a useful 25-minute lead on the water ahead of the Volvo Ocean 65 Ambersail 2. However, the
PEPE KORTENIEMI
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