Round Sandhamn on one hull

A report from the latest in the Oops! Cup with photos by Thierry Martinez

Sandhamn City Race, the fifth race in the Nokia Oops Cup was sailed today around the islands of Sandhamn in the Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden. The three competing classes Formula 60 trimarans, Seaon 96s and Hobie Tigers accompanied by a Moth dinghy flew over the blue seas. 18.5m tris up against 9.6m tris, 4.5m catamarans and a Moth dinghy of 2,8 m showed multihull racing can be done in all sorts of sizes, and shapes.

With a 12 knot north-westerly breeze, blue skies and reasonably flat seas the race could not have been held in more perfect conditions. The 60ft tris started first, doing their fifth race in the Nokia Oops Cup circuit. HiQ was last in the start, with Nokia first and GORE-TEX second. HiQ overtook the others five minutes after the start to take the lead. On board HiQ for the last two races in the Nokia Oops Cup is Jules Verne Trophy winner and the conceiver of The Race and The Race Tour, Frenchman, Bruno Peyron

The first race finished as it started with HiQ 1st, GORE-TEX 2nd and Nokia Sailing Team 3rd.

The Seaon 96 trimarans started right after the Formula 60s. Team Levander took the start and headed out on the course round Korsö, Lökholmen and Sandön with finish and start outside Skanskobb. After the first race, Team 2 of the Seaons had to stop due to rudder problem.
.
Six hobie tigers came to the start. Nokia Sailing team Marimon/Adilstam took the start, chased by the second Nokia team Kempff/Nordström. Chasing from behind was Team Jobman with Hansen/Österberg onboard. The catamarans had a tought tack round Korsö but the wind eased when heading south round Sandön island. Winner of the first race was Nokia Sailing Team Kempff/Nordström, Nokia Sailing Team Marimon/Adilstam 2nd and Jobman Hansen/Österberg third.

In the second race, Nokia Sailing Team Marimon/Adilstam finished first making them winners today in the Hobie Tiger class. They also scored the Nokia Trophy for setting the speed record round the course in 50 minutes. (Formula 60s raced a different course). 2nd in the last race and 2nd overall was Nokia Sailing Team Kempff/Nordström. Third in the 2nd race was Team GB Glace with Magnusson and the Managing Director of GB Glace in Sweden, not bad!