IMS alive and kicking in Scandinavia

Three more events added this year's North European IMS Ranking circuit reports Jon Amtrup

After last year's successful event at Bornholm, the North European IMS Ranking 2007 is ready for another year with even more participants. All the big classics in the region are included in the 2007 circuit.

Last year Sweden's Ralf Aspholm won the HSH Nordbank blue championship. He and his crew sailed Data Communication, a Sinergia 40, to top placings in all the races in the series.

Aspholm has set his mind on returning to defend his title in 2007. "We will come back for sure. The championship on Bornholm was perfect - both on an off the water," he says.

Seven races counted in the ranking series in 2006. This year the committee behind the North European IMS ranking has broadened its horizon and included an additional three races: the YKP Commodore Cup, Gdynia, Poland; the Latvian Championship, in Riga via Salasgriva up to Pärnuu, and Watergate, Pärnuu in Estland. Eva Holmsten, head of the North European IMS Ranking organisers are hoping that this will draw even more sailors.

"Last year we had 14 boats from 9 countries at Bornholm. With the new countries in the ranking list we hope more will come," she says. She and the rest of the committee are busy planning the next event and they have their eyes set on Bornholm. "All yachts were very pleased indeed after last year’s races. The courses were very good and the weather unbelievably good with sun and wind every day. There was also a very nice social setting between the competitors after the races. The location of Bornholm makes it accessible for most participants."

North Europe is on of the strongholds for IMS sailing and the rule is drawing more sailors to concepts like the North European Championship Ranking and the NORC (Norwegian Offshore Racing Club) ranking in Norway. The worlds in IMS will be sailed at Hankoe, Norway this year, and Holmsten sees a bright future for IMS in the north.

"The IMS class is very active, and this year the new IMS 670 class will be sailed for the first time in Sweden with a European Championship together with the Swedish Championship in Sandhamn from 23 July. The Eurocard Gotland Runt will also have an IMS 670 class. We have had a lot of questions from the new participating countries in the Ranking and also from Finland. The North European Championship Ranking has also opened up new races with IMS" says Eva Holmsten.


North European IMS Ranking 2007
Ten Ranking Events
May 17th to 20th, YKP Commodore Cup, Gdynia, POL
June 9th to 10th, Færderseilasen, Oslo, NOR
June 9th to 10th, Volvo Suursari Race, Espoo, FIN
June 17th to 19th, Part of Kieler Woche, GER
July 1st to 4th, Eurocard Gotland Runt, SWE
July 7th to 11th, Open Latvian Championship, LAT, Riga via Salasgriva up to Pärnuu
July 7th to 11th, German IMS Championship, Warnemünde, GER
July 11th to 14th, Watergate, Pärnuu, EST
July 23rd to 28th, Swedish Championship and IMS 670 Euro, Sandhamn, SWE
August 11th to 18th, IMS Worlds, Hankö, NOR
Finals at Bornholm, DEN, September 20th to 23rd 2007