The Klaipėda ORC European Championship 2026 begins today with its first scoring race, the Klaipėda Port Long Offshore Race. The first warning signal was displayed at 12:00, with Classes A and B starting at 12:05, followed by Class C at 12:15.
Sunday’s Practice Race gave the competitors and the Race Committee, led by Principal Race Officer Eckart Reinke, their final opportunity to test the race area, fine-tune their boats and sharpen their teamwork. The weather briefing and Skippers’ Meeting provided further insight into the local conditions and allowed teams to resolve their final questions before the championship began in earnest.
The long offshore race will take the fleet north along the Baltic coast and far out to sea, with separate courses designed for Classes A and B and Class C. The aim is to give boats of different sizes and speeds a demanding but balanced race, with the leading teams expected to return to Klaipėda within a similar time frame.
Two courses and one challenging night at sea
The start itself will present the sailors with their first tactical test. The fleet will start inside the Klaipėda shipping channel before sailing approximately two nautical miles towards the open sea. “The starting procedure is already very special because we are starting inside the channel, not into the wind, but directly down the channel towards the open sea,” explained Eckart Reinke. A current running from behind could push boats towards the line before the starting signal, making timing and positioning particularly important.
Video comments from Eckart Reinke
Classes A and B: 240 nautical miles
The larger and faster boats in Classes A and B will sail a course of approximately 240 nautical miles. After leaving Klaipėda and respecting the designated restricted area along the coast, the fleet will race north to the safe-water buoy off Pāvilosta in Latvia. The boats will then turn west towards an inflatable yellow offshore mark positioned at approximately 56° 10.0’ N, 019° 40.0’ E. From the offshore mark, the fleet will return east towards a green mark off Liepāja before heading south to the finish in Klaipėda.
“The first mark for Classes A and B is about 80 nautical miles from the start,” Reinke said. “The larger boats have a total course of 240 nautical miles, and we expect the fastest boat to complete it within approximately 24 hours.”
Class C: 195 nautical miles
Class C will sail a shorter course of approximately 195 nautical miles. After the start in Klaipėda, the fleet will head north towards a red mark off Liepāja before turning west to the same offshore yellow mark. The boats will then return to the green mark off Liepāja and race south towards the finish in Klaipėda. The first leg for Class C is approximately 55 nautical miles, compared with the longer opening leg sailed by Classes A and B.
“The Class C boats are not small, but they are relatively smaller than the boats in Classes A and B,” Reinke explained. “They will sail a different course so that the fleets will, hopefully, return to Klaipėda at approximately the same time.”
Both courses include restricted coastal areas that the boats must leave on the prescribed side when sailing north and again when returning towards the finish.
Brabander heads into the Baltic to set the offshore mark
One of the greatest challenges in designing the race was finding a suitable turning point far enough west in the Baltic Sea.
While navigational marks are available along the north-to-south coastline, there are no permanent marks farther offshore before Gotland, approximately 110 nautical miles away. The Race Committee therefore decided to place its own inflatable yellow mark in the open sea. The Race Committee vessel Brabander will travel to the designated position at 56° 10.0’ N, 019° 40.0’ E to set the mark before the fleet arrives.
“Offshore course design is always complicated,” said Reinke. “The race should not be too long or too short, and the strength and direction of the wind have a major influence on the boats’ speed.”
The water in this part of the Baltic reaches depths of more than 200 metres, making it difficult to anchor a racing mark securely. The Race Committee identified a shallower underwater rise where the mark can be positioned far enough offshore to create a fair and tactically interesting course.
“Our main challenge is to fix a mark in the open sea that will remain in place even as the wind becomes stronger,” Reinke said. “Before making the final decision, we considered 10 or 12 different course designs.”
Stronger winds and short Baltic waves expected
The forecast suggests a fast but demanding offshore race, with the wind expected to strengthen overnight and shift from the south and southwest towards the west and northwest.
Monday’s forecast indicates south-westerly winds of 8 to 13 metres per second, with gusts reaching 15 to 17 metres per second. Rain and possible thunderstorms are also expected. Waves of around one to one-and-a-half metres are forecast on Monday, with the sea building to as much as two metres as the wind turns west to northwest on Tuesday.
“It will be a race through the night, and the wind is expected to increase,” Reinke said. “It will not be a real storm, but it will be bumpy because of the short waves in the Baltic Sea.”
The opening section along the coast is expected to be sailed with the wind from behind, presenting teams with an early tactical decision about how far to move offshore. Later, the crews will face an upwind leg towards the inflatable mark in stronger nighttime conditions.
The timing of the forecast wind shift was one of the main considerations in selecting the course.
“Different weather models show the shift arriving at different times,” Reinke explained. “At some point, however, we have to make the decision. Now we hope the weather develops as forecast.”
Safety first
Before heading offshore, all boats must complete a mandatory check-in passing the Committee Boat with everyone on deck, wearing life jackets and facing the committee vessel, while clearly reporting the number of people on board. The start will take place across the Klaipėda channel, with the fleet returning to the same shore-side position for the finish.
Follow the race live - tracking presented by Garmin
Every yacht will carry a TracTrac tracker, allowing spectators to follow the fleet’s progress throughout the offshore race. In addition to the boats’ live positions, TracTrac will display predicted results based on calculated corrected times, offering an indication of the standings before the yachts cross the finish line.
Follow the Klaipėda Port long offshore race live on TracTrac: https://www.tractrac.com/event-page/event_20260806_ORCEuropea/3573
Voices from the fleet
Erik Stannow, owner and skipper of the XR-41 DIXI 5, Denmark
“The biggest challenge is already showing itself, as we hear the flags in the background, with up to 30 knots forecast on the upwind leg overnight. We will have to balance performance with looking after the boat and making sure we get back to Klaipėda safely. We are experienced in overnight racing, but every race is different, and the bumpy conditions may make it difficult to get any sleep.”
Gatis Graudums, skipper of the X-41 NICOLE, Latvia
“We have 240 miles ahead of us, beginning with a long downwind leg to Pāvilosta, followed by around 60 miles upwind before we head back towards Liepāja and Klaipėda. With 25 to 30 knots forecast, it will be a long and challenging day and night, but also a lot of fun. We are sailing towards Latvia, so in a way we are going home.”
Karolis Janulionis, skipper of the X-41 Keturi vėjai, Lithuania
“This is going to be a marathon. You need to bring enough food and water and come with a clear head. The race is very long, and the conditions will vary, so you need to have a good plan and then be ready to adapt and see whether that plan is actually working. The biggest challenge will be fighting yourself: staying focused for a day and a half is not easy. You still need to get some sleep, eat, and stay alert, especially with so many manoeuvres ahead. You have to be prepared for a marathon.”
Algis Nasvytis, crew member aboard the Italia 11.98 Rhino, Lithuania
“Choosing the right sails and executing our plan will be crucial. We are closely monitoring changes in wind direction and strength, as well as the expected rain. How well each team uses the information gathered ashore could determine who comes out on top.”
The Klaipėda ORC European Championship takes place from 7 to 15 August. Throughout the week, the Regatta Village at the Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal will welcome visitors with maritime experiences, educational activities, exhibitions, entertainment and live events offering an introduction to the world of offshore sailing.
The Klaipėda ORC European Championship is funded by Klaipėda city, partially funded by the Lithuanian National Sports Agency and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. The main partner of the event is Port of Klaipėda, and the sponsors are Volfas Engelman, Garmin, Sportland.
The Klaipėda 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).