ORC Double Handed Europeans Championship 2022 now open for entries

Organizers from the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC) and the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) are pleased to announce the Notice of Race and online entry portal are now published for the ORC Double Handed European Championship 2022 held over 7-16 July 2022.

This major new offshore championship race is based in the Olympic Marine facilities located in Lavrion in the Attica region of Greece. Olympic Marine (shown above) is a premier full-service facility that provides complete services and support for visiting yachtsman.

The ORC DH Europeans will run concurrently with the AEGEAN 600 race, and entries may also enter for trophies awarded in the AEGEAN 600, and vice versa. The event starts with three days of registration, measurement and inspections held over 7-9 July, with an Opening Ceremony and Reception Dinner planned for Friday, 8 July. On Sunday 10 July will be the start of the race held at the foot of the spectacular ancient Temple of Poseidon located nearby at Cape Sounio (shown above).

From here the entries will race on the same course as the full-crewed entries in the second annual AEGEAN 600 race (see below): Milos island to port – a gate at the Santorini Caldera (shown above headline) – Kassos, Karpathos and Rhodos islands to port – Kandelousa to starboard – Kos to port - Kalolimnos to starboard - Farmakonissi, Patmos and Agathonissi islands to port – a gate at Mykonos and Dilos strait – Kea island to port – Finish at Cape Sounio. The total course distance is approximately 605 miles.

Made famous by last year’s inaugural edition of the AEGEAN 600 race, this race course was proven both popular and challenging for all entries, with a wide range of wind speeds, wind angles and sea conditions to test the teams. This is a challenging race for a full crew, and even more so for a Double Handed crew with only two crewmen on each team.

The event is open to all boats with a valid ORC DH International certificate with an All Purpose Handicap (APH) rating between 425.0 and 630.0 sec/NM included. Entries will have tracking devices for spectators to follow their progress, and there is a plan to also equip boats with on-board video cameras as well.

After racing the event will conclude with a Prizegiving Ceremony held in Lavrion on Saturday evening, 16 July. “The Aegean is widely recognized as being one of the world’s best sailing areas with reliable fresh breezes, warm sunny weather, spectacular scenery and tactical pilotage at the very best time of year,” said Ioannis Maragkoudakis, President of the AEGEAN 600 Organizing Committee and Commodore of HORC. “We have a rich maritime heritage in general and a robust sailboat racing culture in particular. Xenios Zeus, the ancient Greek god of hospitality, promises to provide to all crews exceptional hospitality and an exciting race.”

“The southern Aegean is a beautiful and challenging place to race,” said ORC Chairman Bruno Finzi. "The winning team will have shown an impressive mastery of seamanship and skill to be rightfully crowned 2022 Double Handed European Champions.

"We are thankful to our hosts at HORC and Olympic Marine, who have shown extraordinary cooperation and hospitality for everyone affiliated with this race. And we wish all the entries Good Luck in their preparations for this important new ORC Championship event.”