And then there were five

Nokia Oops Cup expands to five 60ft trimarans

On Sunday 30 May, the largest trimaran yacht race in Northern Europe, the Nokia Oops Cup, starts with the Helsinki City Race. For the first time ever, five 60ft trimarans will line up for the starter’s gun. The last boat to enter the race was Team TietoEnator-LÒréal, skippered by Finnish Sydney Olympics gold medalist Thomas Johansson.

This year into its third season, the Nokia Oops Cup is an extensive series of regatta for 60ft trimarans. The number of races, host countries and participating yachts is greater than ever.

This year five boats will participate:
HiQ Sailing Team (ex- Primagaz) skippered by Klas Nylof, Sweden
Nokia Sailing Team (ex- Fleury Michon) skippered by Stefan Myralf, Denmark
Team GORE-TEX (ex- Spirit of Apricot) with skipper Magnus Olsson, Sweden,
Team Academy (ex Fujicolor) with Norwegian skipper Knut Frostad and Team TietoEnator-LÒréal (ex- Lakota) skippered by Thomas Johansson, Finland.

The series will take place all around the Baltic in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Poland. The first race in the Nokia Oops Cup will be held in Helsinki on 30 May; the last in Gdansk, Poland, on 11 July. In between, 'city' events will be held in Stockholm (5 June), Oslo (10 to 11 June), Gothenburg (16 June), Helsingoer (18 to 19 June), Copenhagen (21 June) and Sandhamn (3 to 4 July).

Several types of races are included in the Nokia Oops Cup. 'City' races are short course races, held close to the shore. They will be easily followed by spectators, and expert commentators in the purpose built Race Centers will call the racing. Speed Races will also take place in city venues. The aim of these time challenges is to sail a very short course as fast as possible. The yachts will be extremely close to the shore and will give the spectators a real speed thrill.

The remainder of the races are the leading Nordic ocean races, such as the Faerder Race in Norway, the Sjaelland Rundt in Denmark and the Round Gotland Race in Sweden. The ocean race from Sandhamn, Sweden, to Gdansk, Poland, will be a Double Handed Race sailed by only two crew members, a novelty for the Nokia Oops Cup.