The Nordic Offshore Sailing Community Aligns for the Future at Tallinn Winter Meeting 2025

February 12, 2025 - Tallinn, Estonia - The Nordic Offshore Sailing Community held its annual offshore sailing meeting last weekend (February 8) in Tallinn, Estonia. This long-standing and strong cooperation includes representatives from Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands and the countries inside The Nordic Sailing Federation (NOSF), representing Group G in World Sailing, forming a vital alliance dedicated to developing offshore sailing in Northern Europe. Working together across borders, this group ensures the growth and accessibility of the sport of offshore sailing in the region.

As per tradition, the host of the upcoming ORC Championship in Northern Europe extends the invitation for this crucial gathering of sailing repress and tentative. With Estonia gearing up to host the ORC World Championship 2025, the group convened in Tallinn to discuss key developments in offshore sailing across the region.

Strengthening Coordination in Northern European Offshore Sailing

The purpose of the meeting is to align efforts across Northern European nations, ensuring a cohesive approach to offshore racing. Representatives from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Holland and Germany took part in the discussions, both in person and online. The meeting covered a range of topics, including upcoming championships, handicap rule strategies, and the promotion of offshore sailing.

Tallinn 2025 ORC World Championship: Preparations in Full Swing

Piret Salmistu and Sven Nuutmann led a presentation on the upcoming ORC World Championship, scheduled for August 8–16, 2025, in Tallinn. The venue, tested in major events such as the Alexela ORC Worlds 2021, Moonsund Regatta and Tall Ships Races Tallinn, is well-prepared for the world-class competition. With city and governmental backing secured, along with a strong sponsor lineup, the championship is set to be a major event on the international sailing calendar.

Currently, around 15 boats are registered, and organizers are keen to boost participation, especially among larger boats. A promotional package will be distributed through to encourage broader engagement. A warm-up regatta on August 6–7 is also under discussion.

Helsinki 2025 Doublehanded European Championship

Noora Westerlund provided an update on the ORC Doublehanded European Championship, taking place in Helsinki on July 5-12, just after Gotland Runt. With 16 boats already signed up from five nations, the event is shaping up well. The championship will benefit from joint measurement with Gotland Runt to ease logistical challenges for teams. Organizers have secured accommodations and optimized access to necessary facilities, ensuring a seamless experience for competitors.

Common Handicap Rules: Finding a Unified Approach

A major discussion point revolved around the standardization of offshore handicap rules across the region. The complexity of existing rating systems has been a longstanding concern, and efforts are being made to improve accessibility for both competitive and casual sailors.

Denmark and Sweden shared insights into their respective handicap systems, while Finland showcased its approach using tables based on ORC’s Velocity Prediction Program (VPP). The Netherlands and Germany are exploring new entry-level rating options, inspired by the table concept. The group unanimously supported forming a working group to propose a simplified ORC table rating version, making competitive sailing more accessible for the less experienced sailors who mostly sail locally.

Future Championship Hosting Plans

The meeting also reviewed upcoming ORC championships in Northern Europe:

• 2026 ORC European Championship – Klaipeda, Lithuania
• 2026 ORC Doublehanded European Championship – Scheveningen, Netherlands (pending updates)
• 2027 ORC World Championship – Copenhagen, Denmark (KDY bid supported by the group)
• 2028 ORC European Championship – Latvia (expression of interest)
• 2029 ORC World Championship – Finland (expression of interest)

Denmark’s bid for the 2027 ORC Worlds in Copenhagen received unanimous backing. With excellent facilities, a prime racing area, and a strong sustainability agenda, the event is expected to attract a competitive fleet.

Challenges and Opportunities in Offshore Sailing

Country reports provided insights into the current state of offshore sailing across the region. While some countries reported a decline in participation, others noted steady growth, particularly in doublehanded sailing. Several nations highlighted the difficulty of retaining larger crews, with many sailors gravitating toward shorthanded formats.

Promotional efforts like the GoForSpeed! seminar in Sweden, which attracted over 100 participants, indicate a strong interest in offshore racing.

The group discussed ways to further engage owners and sailors, including digital pre-meeting surveys and national owners’ meetings.

Next Steps and 2026 NOSF Meeting

The NOSF will continue to push for increased participation and accessibility in offshore sailing. A proposed online coordination meeting on June 17, 2025, will focus on refining proposals for more easy entry-level racing and growing the sport.

Looking ahead, the 2026 Winter Meeting will be hosted in Vilnius, Lithuania, on February 7, welcoming representatives from across the region to continue their collaboration.

With the ORC World Championship in Tallinn on the horizon, the Nordic offshore sailing community is poised for an exciting and competitive season, and everyone remains committed to strengthening offshore racing in Northern Europe and ensuring its growth for years to come.

The NOSF group extends its gratitude to Kalev Yacht Club and Sven Nuutmann’s Piletilevi Group, as well as the Estonian Yachting Union, for hosting the Tallinn Meeting 2025.