Vegvisir Race | nytt race i Danmark
Morten Brandt, som ju startade det omåttligt populära Silverrudder, tar nu tag i nästa projekt: Vegvisir Race.
Det är två banor på antingen 150 eller 200 som antingen seglas på två eller tre personer.
Jag gillar upplägget, och när Morten är inblandad så är jag säker på att det blir bra.
Det som jag däremot har lite svårt för är att man i Danmark vill göra saker på nya, och i många fall lite krångligare, sätt…
Vi vet att doublehanded-race i detta format funkar bra – och blir utmanande för de flesta.
Blir det verkligen så mycket bättre av att man har en klass för de med 3 i besättningen? Eller att man skall in i Svendborg Sund för att eventuellt få ankra i motströmmen? Och varför segla banorna åt valfritt håll? Och hur kul är det att segla chican-bana alldeles själv mitt i natten före målgång.
Jag brukar skämtsamt prata om “artificiell komplexitet” – och jag får den känslan när det ordnas shorthandedrace i Danmark. Gemensamt för nästan alla framgångsrika race är att de i grunden är relativt enkla?
I vilket fall skall det bli spännande att följa arrangemanget.
Shorthanded sailing reinvented – Vegvisir Race
The man behind Silverrudder Challenge Morten Brandt is ready with a new event concept for shorthanded sailing. The event Vegvisir – Archipelago Race is a collaboration between the Munipalcity of Guldborgsund and Morten Brandt’s company SHORT HAND – Event Content Marketing.
Vegvisir – Archipelago Race is a double and triplehanded event in a format never seen before – more on that later.
It will go down close to mid-summer during the weekend from June 24th-25th, which means long days and short light nights that make sailing safer and guarantee epic and shareable experiences of the unique nature for participants and their families and friends a shore. It is not finally decided where in Guldborgsund Municipality, the start and finish will be located, but it will be either in Sakskoebing or Nykoebing Falster. Here the conditions as port capacity, navigation options and above all the local clubs’ desire and opportunities to engage are key.
Everyone needs a Vegvisir
Vegvisir an Icelandic magical symbol that helps you to find your way. The myth says that the bearer of this sign never get lost. On the contrary, he/she will always get through the storm and bad weather even when the route is unknown.– A Vegvisir is both a compass literally and figuratively. It helps people to find their way at sea and in life. Therefore the symbol is a perfect match for the new event where the demands to the navigators are extreme and as the side events will “calibrate” people’s ethical compass as they focus on environmental problems for the oceans . Both the event and the side events are organized in close collaboration with the munipalcity of Guldborgsund and one og more local yacht clubs, says Morten Brandt.
Extreme demands on the participants
Comparing Vegviser Race the existing double- and triple-handede races in Denmark and abroad the kinship to adventure sports is considerably larger.– The race puts great demands on the participants’ skills, physics and tactical abilities. It will be an achievement to complete. During the development of the concept we were past several formats. Among other things, we had dogma sailing without the use of electronic devices on the drawing board. But instead of trying to turn back the clock, we have chosen to see things as they are. This means that we have chosen two course formats that will make extreme demands on the participants’ ability to use the electronics on board as navigators, meteorologists, tacticians and strategists, says Morten Brandt.
Beggebaner inkl ærø-omvej
Broadly speaking, the race has two courses. A large boat course and a small boat course. There will be one common start, after which the sailors will set out either a 150 or 200 nautical miles long course.
The 150 NM course goes from the starting line to tight sailing in the narrow channels between the islands of the Småland Sea. The current runs strong and big rocks dating back to the ice age will make safe navigation crucial. From there through the magnificent shallow nature park Bogestrommen, past the Spectacular cliff of Møn and into the Baltic Sea. Back to more tight in shore racing between the islands via Grønsund before crossing the finishing line.The long course has also tight in shore sailing between the islands of Smålandshavet after the start. Then the sailors are taken west, north of Langeland, through the challenging Svendborgsund, through the even more challenging Ø-havet to a mark south of Marstal. Now the route goes offshore into the Baltic Sea into German waters. Back towards Smålandshavet and several chicanes before the finish. There will be lots of changes and “gearshifts”, when it goes from in-shore to offshore and back to inshore sailing.
– As a new feature the sailors must choose themselves if they will go clock wise or counter clock wise round the course. Further more the direction round in the inshore part is the sailors own call. This means that each team will get to choose between 8 different course options. It will require a strategy and tactics must be in place before starting and it will have to take into account the development in the weather over the next 30-40-50 hours, says Morten Brandt.
The sailors can be followed from shore via trackers and there will be a virtual leaderboard that shows the current position of the participants based on the voyaged distance.
You will soon be able to find all practical information regarding the event and enroll in www.vegvisirrace.com.In a good cause
In addition to creating a unique event for sailors, the goal is to establish a cross-cultural event that will attract interest from across Europe and extending far beyond sailing’s sphere. Nevertheless, the event’s core and starting point is the challenging, spectacular and digital shareable double- and triplehanded racing. This is complemented by side events that focus on sustainability, marine environment, marine and coastal quality and solutions to human problems such as micro-plastic in the ocean that surrounds us.– I will try to help give back to the sport of sailing and the sea which I love. The ambition is that the event is moving in the direction of an international people’s meeting on the marine environment. The journey starts this year with a well designed event. The aim is to create curiosity for the event, the area and the concept, says Morten Brandt.