Kotka Ranking

by Kai Saarhelo 05/20/2024

Kotka, Finland, May 19, 2024. Final results after 6 races (1 discard):

Claus Carpelan & Risto Valjus, 11
Jukka Kotisalo & Julianna Perttala, 12
Antti Mikkonen & Matias Mikkonen, 13
Kai Saarhelo & Miro Sepantalo, 18
Mika Viinikkala & Mikko Makipaa, 20

Regatta report by Kai Saarhelo & Matias Mikkonen

Claus Carpelan and Risto Valjus mastering Kotka regatta in Finland

The long and cold winter period was just history when Kotka sailing club KPS organised Ranking Regatta for Snipe, Finn and Lightning classes last weekend in sunny and warm conditions.

All together nine Snipe teams participated season’s opener in the South-East corner of Finland. It was brilliant to see how the experience of the sailors in Snipe Class varied between 0 and 70 years, so the slogan One Boat for All was proven once again perfectly well.

Conditions in Saturday were quite challenging as the SE winds were pumping up and down from 0 to 3 m/s. Anyhow, the Race committee was working hard and managed to run three races. We typically run windward-leeward type of races in these multi-boat-regattas. Fresh national medalists from last year, Jukka Kotisalo and Julianna Perttala were in the lead after the first day, but the top shots were achieved also by other five teams due to strong variations in wind pressure in different parts of the race area. In the evening after the long regatta day the teams got together at the upstairs of 100-year-old club house, shared the thoughts of the day and eat some pizza with good appetite.

On Sunday, we could enjoy almost ideal weather. The sun was shining from the open sky and the wind was about 5 m/s in the morning, later during the day 7-8 m/s from South-West. Overall, the conditions were remarkably better than Saturday. By the third start of the day, the wind had risen slightly over 8 m/s on the peaks. The status for the two last races, after throw-outs, was downright tickling as three teams still had a chance for victory.

However, the hard training on the elderly age, including a superior experience, gave an advantage which was too hard to beat for the younger ones. So, the winner of the Regatta was Claus Carpelan with Risto Valjus. Most probably Clapa is the oldest Ranking winner in Finland at the age of 77! There we have a good role model to carry another Snipe slogan: Classes come and classes go but Snipe is forever, suiting well also for Clapa.

Next Ranking event will be in Tampere early June, continuing till Finnish Nationals June 28-30, sailed in Helsinki. Please feel free to join also from abroad.

Final Results Download