News

Perfect conditions with sunshine and 20-25 knots greeted the Nord Stream Race competitors starting the 800 nm course today in Flensburg Fjord. The Principal Race Officer, Stefan Kunstmann, let the Swan 60s get underway at 12 noon today heading to Saint Petersburg, Russia across the Baltic Sea.

Tsaar Peter won the start followed by Spirit of Europe and continued their lead into the early stages of the race. The race is predicted to be fast in the favourable winds with an estimate of 3 days 18 hours for the first finishers to reach the finish in Saint Petersburg. There is even the possibility of the record from 2012 being broken if the pressure increases.

The most experienced Swan 60 team afloat is Bronenosec. Defending Nord Stream Race champions their crew includes Volvo Ocean Race veteran, Tommaso Chieffi and navigator Marc Lagesse an ex-America’s Cup sailor. “Our expectations are based on the experiences from the previous years. We are hoping for a fast and simple race”.

Spirit of Europe will challenge Broneosec for the title this year. Under the helm of German yachting royalty, Tim Kröger, the crew is an excellent pedigree with America’s Cup champion, Christian Scherrer and Volvo Ocean Race sailor, Magnus Woxen.

New to the Gazprom Swan 60 circuit, Spanish skipper Juan Calvo Boronat is ambitious, “We are going to experience a fast race and we are determined to be in Saint Petersburg in no more than 4 days”. The helm of SGM, Joachim Brünner, is racing for the first time with his crew joking, “we have decided to become the surprise winners”.

Watch the race live http://www.nord-stream-race.com/eng/race-tracker