The Visby Sailing competition (Visbyseglingen) is regarded to be the predecessor of the Round Gotland Race. It was a popular offshore race between large R boats and Skerry Cruisers which KSSS, The Royal Swedish Yacht Club, arranged during the 1920s and 1930s. The race usually ran from Sandhamn to Visby and back again, after a stopover in Visby. The last Visby Sailing competition was held in 1939, when Jacob Wallenberg in his R-10 Refanut, won the Visby trophy for keeps.
In 1935, KSSS invited boats and representatives from countries around the Baltic Sea to a sailing meeting in Fårösund to discuss the general measurement regulations for offshore racing. At this time there were no series manufactured boats so handicap rules had to be implemented to allow boats of different sizes and types to be able to compete against each other.
The initiative created great enthusiasm, attracting 350 participants with 77 boats and the outcome was a decision to arrange an offshore race around Gotland. More than fifty years later this race not only lives on but has become one of the largest international offshore racing events in the world!
In the summer of 1937, KSSS arranged the very first Round Gotland Race with 42 competing yachts. The boats came from Germany, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, England and the USA.
The course of 250M started in Visby, continuing down to the north of Öland, eastwards around Hoburgen, anti-clockwise around Gotland and Gotska Sandön with the finishing line just outside Visby.
Weak, intermittent winds made the first Round Gotland Race both uneventful and without drama. The yachts were classed in accordance with the German KR rules and the international Bermuda rules. Despite finishing last the fleet’s smallest yacht, the Mosca from Gotland, was declared the winner in accordance with the KR rules. The winner in accordance with the Bermuda rules was Sven Salén in his Havsörnen.
In the summer of 1939 it was time for the second Round Gotland Race. This time 51 yachts came from the neighbouring countries of the Baltic Sea and from Norway.
The course had now been extended to 350M with the starting line in Visby. After rounding the north of Öland the participants sailed across the Baltic Sea, south of Hoburgen to Ovisi lightship in the approach to the bay of Riga. The finishing line was set at Sandhamn, which has since then remained the finishing line for the race. Sven Salén with Havsörnen II was the first to cross the line but the victory belonged to two German yachts. Andromeda and Leuchtkäfer II.
One month after the prize giving ceremony in Sandhamn, the Second World War broke out and we had to wait until 1950 before the Round Gotland Race could recommence, this time with only Nordic participants. But it wasn’t long before yachts from Germany, England, Holland, Belgium and the USA returned and the competition regained its international status, which it has successfully kept since then.
1950s
Since1950, the race has been arranged in different ways with different course lengths. In 1950 and 1952 one course length was 350M and the other 265M. Instead of Ovisi lightship a life-saving cruiser 20M east of Gotland acted as a turning buoy on the shorter course. Those who sailed on the longer course rounded Salvorev, north of Fårö and then down to the north of Öland before they turned up towards Almagrundet and onto the finish in Sandhamn.
1955 was the longest course where they instead sailed around Bogskisen.
During the Round Gotland Race in1957 and 1959 the course was spun around. From Visby the course sailed around Gotska Sandön, rounding Klints bank, Gotland, the north of Öland and Almagrundet and onto the finish in Sandhamn.
Between 1959 and 1963 the Round Gotland Race took a break while the Finnish twin club NJK celebrated its 100 year anniversary. A Baltic Race was arranged instead with the finishing line in Helsinki.
1960s
During the 60s the number of participating boats in the Round Gotland Race increased from 100 to 250. It was also at this time that plastic boats entered the stage. The sails were now sewn with man-made fibres instead of cotton. The manufacture of ocean-going yachts in larger series also began. The popular Vega boats were starting to be built and went on to become something of a classic Swedish folk boat.
In 1963, the harbour in Visby was expanded to cope with the increased Gotland ferry services and the start of the Round Gotland Race was moved to Sandhamn. Since then both the start and finish lines have been at Sandhamn.
One exception was 1965 when the start was in Sandhamn but the finishing line was moved to the Finnish island of Utö as a gesture of friendship for the participation of all the Finnish boats through the years, but also in honour of the traditional Airisto Sailing Club’s anniversary. The Regatta ball was held at Åbo Castle.
During the 60s a race called Level Rating Racing was run. It was a mix of course and ocean racing where the boats were divided into classes on the numerical value of the boat’s theoretical speed on which the finishing results were calculated. This meant that a boat in the smallest class could win its class without being the first over the line. The boat could also, based on the calculated time, be the total victor over the boats in the largest class.
Since 1969, the Round Gotland Race has been an annual event on the calendar with a course running clockwise some years and anti-clockwise others.
After 1978, the Round Gotland Race has always been sailed clockwise.
1970s
In the 1970s the number of participating boats increased to over 400. They were mainly family boats which had scaled down their fittings and been converted to ocean racing machines. But then as now, the most common participants in the Round Gotland Race were average-sized series manufactured boats, sailed by non-professional crews.
When the IOR rules were introduced in 1970, changes were made to the rigs and sails of many boats. The IOR concept governed the allocation of the sail area which brought about the need for more Genoa jibs for the varying wind conditions. IOR also gave rise to the strong development of international interest for ocean racing.
Monotype boats now made their entry in earnest with new classes being created in the Round Gotland Race. The most famous and popular were Comfort, Scampi, Ballad, Maxi and Shipman boats.
1976 was a dramatic year for the Round Gotland Race. Tough weather conditions led to over a hundred boats retiring from the competition with damage to the rudders and broken rigs. Many were forced to put out a distress call due to illness and exhaustion.
1977 also offered drama of the highest calibre when dense fog descended on the competition, bringing about the consequences of navigational errors and several boats running aground. This year also saw the debut entry of two boats with all-female crews. The boats were Spaexa, with Kari Hansson and Balla Ada with Margareta Nylén as skippers.
1980s
The 80s were characterised by bigger and more exclusive boats. During the 1980s the number of participants in the Round Gotland Race continued to increase reaching a peak at the beginning of the 90s with around 500 participating boats.
1984 allowed, for the first time, all kinds of electronic technology for the Round Gotland Race. Previously only logs, compasses, sonar, simple wind instruments, direction finders, pocket calculator and astronomical units were allowed during ocean racing in northern Europe. It was now allowed to connect all instruments. The use of the so-called Decca navigator, a hyperbolic radio navigation system built on the time difference between two simultaneously-transmitted radio signals, increased considerably among the boats. It was now easier for the navigator to check the location of the boat in latitude and longitude.
Computers also made their entrances on many boats. With the aid of computers it was now possible to calculate the apparent direction of the wind according to a marked curve, and in this way receive help to choose the correct sail.
1987 saw the appearance of the first Multihull boat in the Round Gotland Race and the competing boats reached the number of 437. The American Maxiratern Nirvana broke the course record by sailing the 415M in 52 hours and 13 minutes.
The 1980s saw the appearance of the first sponsored boats. They were often the largest boats which changed their names prior to the Round Gotland Race to adopt the name of the company that chartered the boat and hired in the professional crew.
The most serious accidents in the history of the Round Gotland Race also occurred during the 1980s. One occasion saw a Maxi 95 barge right into an Omega 34 creating a one-metre diameter hole in the side. The lower edge of the hole was 30 cm under the water line and water quickly poured into the boat. No one was seriously injured and after temporary repairs at sea the Omega was able to sail back to Sandhamn. At the start in 1989 the Whitbread boat, the Card collided with the DH boat, Puls. Both boats were disqualified and the legal consequences continued long after the accident.
IMS debut
1989 was the premier for the IMS rules, which were run as a trial the previous year. Over 40 boats now sailed in the 2 classes in accordance with the IMS rules, and there were victories for Finland in both classes. IMS was considered to be fairer and gave greater possibilities for older boats to compete.
1990s
The 1990 edition of the Round Gotland Race was, according to many yachtsmen, the best competition for many years. 450 boats entered the race, but already by the first night over 50 were forced to retire due to the strong winds, which then after the first 24 hours changed to even winds and very good sailing conditions. The Card broke the course record by completing the 415M in 43 hours and 5 minutes.
1991 was characterised by calm waters and only half of the 440 competing boats crossed the finishing line.
1992 was the year when IMS made a real breakthrough, with 150 boats in the Class. However, the DH classes still had the most participants. A large number of monotype boats also sailed in their own classes.
The Round Gotland Race1993, with 387 competitors, provided the most dramatic sailing in a while. Already by Monday morning 95 boats had retired from the race. A total of 121 retired, most of them due to sea-sickness or sail and mast damage, no serious injuries occurred. One man fell overboard but was able to be rescued immediately by his own crew.
300 boats set sail in 1996 complete with approx. 3000 crew members on two courses around Gotland. The main area of interest focused on the battle between the three largest Grand Mistral boats and the two Whitbread boats. One boat, EF Education, with an all-female crew, won the Round Gotland Race Open, which echoed around the whole yachting world. Ocean racing is one of the few sporting events where women and men can compete on equal terms. The victory for EF Education clearly showed that female crews are at least as good as their male competitors.
In 1998 the Round Gotland Race sailed around three courses, course Alfa was 407M and course Bravo 346M. For the bigger and faster boats the 550M Round Gotland course was the race in question. The sailing was marked by light winds and calmness. Many boats were forced to retire due to lack of provisions and time. Investor was the quickest around course Alfa and also became the overall victor in the IMS class. King Harald of Norway, who sailed in the same class, showed by coming second that he is a world class yachtsman. On the shorter course it was Mats Gustafsson in his Linjett 33 who became the overall victor. The Round Gotland Open was won by EF Language.
For the first time the race could be followed over the internet which created great interest. Boats were plotted on a nautical chart and you could see when a boat passed a rounding marker and when they were estimated to reach the finish. The number of visitors to the KSSS web site was close to 3 million.
The marvellous weather and the new improved starting process, with more boats in each start, provided the best possible conditions for all spectators in the hundreds of boats which followed the start in 1999. Fewer classes and only 15 minutes between the starts made the event much more spectator-friendly. There were 278 boats in a total of seven starts for the eleven classes. All boats sailed on the same course of just over 335M. Of particular interest was, naturally, the Multihull boats Explorer and First Hotels. Even the large Cap Gemini and the 100-foot long, Norwegian luxuriously-designed cruiser Nariida awakened interest.
With a total of 50 participating boats it was Finland, who as usual dominated among the foreign nations and also won the overall victory in the IMS Class with Julya III.
An innovation in 1999 was the introduction of the international ORC Club rules. The rules were based on the same principle as IMS, but with a stronger, simpler calculation process.
The winner of the Round Gotland Open 1999 was Maxi Ratern Europolitan, with Olympic medalist Peter Sundelin as skipper. Runner-up was KSSS chairman Calle Piehl in the Whitbread boat New Zealand Endeavour /Orm, where the Swedish King, Carl Gustaf and his son Prince Carl Philip were part of the 32 man strong crew.
Course Record
1999 also saw a new course record of 32 hours and 59 minutes set by the trimaran First Hotels with Mange Olsson as skipper, who despite being 8 hours ahead of the next boat over the finishing line did not become the overall victor.
The New Millennium
The first Round Gotland Race of the 21st century was sailed on the same course as in 1999. KSSS was delighted to see an increase in boats by almost 20 %. For the second time there were two trimarans participating, First Hotels with Magnus "Mange" Olsson and Toshiba with Klas "Klabbe" Nylöf as skippers. With very light winds, these boats were also first past the post in a new record time for First Hotels who sailed in 27 hours with Toshiba only half an hour behind.
As usual the Finnish fleet was in abundance with 55 boats and they also placed well by winning Class IMS 2 with the previous year’s winner Julya III – a wooden boat from 1967 with Hanno Narjus as skipper. Even in Class IMS SM/RM2, there was a Finnish victory with Tiiamari sailed by Jukka Nieminen and his crew.
Among the foreign boats the German Rubin XV was noteworthy, with its 83 year-old skipper Hans-Otto Schüman, who won the largest (83 participants) and probably most prestigious Class, IMS 1. Polish Bols Sport, with a gigantic press contingent of 16 persons, came 3rd in the GR Open, which was won by Kaffeknappen, the former Toshiba, with Matthew Humphries as skipper.
Class ORC Club attracted 60 participants and was won by Renante with skipper Dag Sollén. The Scampi Class was won by Boj-Boj with Magnus Forslund as skipper and Class X 99 – a growing class with 18 competing boats - was won hands down by Iterum.Net sailed by Johnny Gustafsson. First over the line in the monohull boat was Bertil Söderberg’s Cap Gemini, who along with Ludde Ingvall’s Skandia was tipped to win, but it was the significantly lighter Skandia who won on calculated time.
2001
The annual Round Gotland ocean race is KSSS’s largest and most important event. As usual the fastest boats and the most famous and experienced yachtsmen gathered at the start line in Sandhamn.
With Accenture as the new main sponsor the Round Gotland Race of 2001 sailed in relatively light winds and calm waters over the 335M long course around Gotland. Close to 280 enrolled for the different classes, who gathered at the start line for 1 hour, with the start time at 13:00.
The largest class IMS, attracted around 140 boats and as usual, in the GR Open the largest boats competed, including the three trimarans Sony, Toshiba and First Hotels.
Victory in the GR Open went to the German Morning Glory with Hasso Plattner as skipper. The overall IMS class was won by Ithaka with Jan Orest. In the ORC Club the overall victor was Chazara, with P-O Andersson as skipper. Class winner in IMS 1 was Rent-a-Plant. IMS 2 was won by Karakura with Ola Sandell. In the Scampi-class, Boj-Boj sailed to victory once more. The Best VO boat was SEB with Gurra Krantz as skipper.
2002
KSSS suffered its first fatality in connection with the Round Gotland Race in 2002. In the fierce winds, skipper Mauri Luukala, in the Finnish boat Argon, was thrown overboard, north of Gotland. After 17 minutes a rescue helicopter from the Swedish coastguard service was at the spot, but during the rescue operation the yachtsman slipped out of his life-vest and drowned. Of the 274 boats that started the race, 73 retired. The relatively normal wind conditions for ocean racing resulted in rig damage for some boats already at the start. In the tough crossing down to Gotland, more damage was inflicted on the boats and others retired through sea sickness. Despite strong winds, none of the two participating 60 foot trimarans Nokia and IPC managed to finish within the dream time of 24 hours. In the Class GR Open there were nine VO 60 boats and the largest in the class was the 100-foot Next with Bertil Söderberg as skipper.
The smallest boat also sailed here, Classic, which was only 6.5 metres, with Eskil Degsell as skipper complete with guest. IMS boats were divided into 3 classes. The simplified rules ORC Club, attracted even more attention and this year 100 boats participated. J/80 boats sailed in their own class, with 13 participants.
First over the line was the trimaran Nokia, in a new record time of 24 hours and 40 minutes, which gave an average speed of 13.58 knots. The first monohull boat over the line was Next, but was beaten on calculated time by several boats in the class.
X Team won the IMS class both overall and in the IMS class 1. IMS class 2 was won by the Finnish boat Tetu IV. In IMS class 3 victory went to the Finnish Fresco Network.
ORC Club 1 was won by the German Comfortina 42 Meltemi, and class ORC Club 2 was won by Maxi 95 Trassel, who also won the overall ORC Club. The J/80 Class was won by Pinocchio in a time of 51 hours and 31 minutes. The Scampi class was won once again this year by Boj-Boj. The X 99 class was won by the Finnish boat Flax and in the J 105 class, with 4 competing boats, Sail a Race sailed to victory.
2003
Of the 245 boats which started in 2003, all had reached the finishing line by Wednesday morning. Only 6 been forced to retire. It was the first time in five years that all boats had made it to Sandhamn for the victory ceremony. The largest class of this year’s event was ORC Club with 116 competing boats in three classes, ORC Club 1, 2 and ORC Club Open.
IMS attracted 98 boats, divided into three classes. IMS 1 which was won by an IMX 40 Air IIII, IMS 2 which was won once again by a X 362 X online and IMS 3, which was won by the Finnish Tarantella – a Swan 371. In the class LYS Multihull the three 60-foot trimarans, Gore-Tex, Nokia and HiQ, and three Seon 96s set sail.
The fastest of the three trimarans was HiQ, with Klas ”Klabbe” Nylöf as skipper. But the attempt to beat the old record, set by the Nokia trimaran 2002, did not succeed this year either. The six large Monohull boats, among them the 93 foot BOLS, the Volvo Ocean 60 (VO60) boat Assa Abloy and Essex Girl sailed in the ORC Club Open which was won by Essex Girl despite problems at the start which resulted in a restart. The Monotype classes J/80 and J/105 had five competing boats each and the victor in the J/80 was Sol and class J/105 was won by Metamatrix.
The seven VO60 boats which competed in the Volvo Baltic Race sailed in a class of their own class which was won by RS who crossed the finishing line in the fastest Monohull boat, early on Tuesday morning.
Class X99 had nine competitors and was won by the Finnish boat Vinca. The Scampi class had six boats and was won by Boj-Boj.
The three smallest boats sailed in their own class Open 6.5, where Eskil Degsell was the favourite and won the class, only six hours after the largest boats!
2004
With Gant as the new main sponsor, 250 boats set sail on the 364M long course. New for this year was that KSSS decided that the fastest IMS boat would be the overall victor in the Round Gotland Race.
ORC was still the largest class with 124 competitors, ahead of IMS with 95. J105 and X99 were now the only remaining Monotype classes. Four VO-60s sailed the Round Gotland Race in their own class, as a qualifying competition for the Volvo Ocean Race.
Five trimarans, Gore-Tex, Academy, HiQ II, Nokia and Tieto-Enator/LÓreal were enrolled. All with the same aim, to beat the old speed record from 2002.
But Gore-Tex with Mange Olsson as skipper soon had to give up when they encountered mast damage just four hours after the start.
New Speed Record
The Norwegian trimaran Academy with Knut Frostad and his young crew managed to beat the old record, which was now calculated on the average speed instead of time, as the length of the course had changed throughout the years. The new speed record was 13.66 knots. The old record, which Nokia set in 2002, was 13.58 knots.
There was also a tough battle in the VO-60 Class. Just 300 metres ahead of second place Elanders, with Matthew Humphries on the rudder, Thomas Blixt won with Sony Ericsson.
The overall victor in the Round Gotland Race 2004 was the Dutch Holmatro who also won class IMS 1. Swedish Data Communication came second in class IMS SM. Class IMS 2 was won by Stormsteg. Class ORC 1 was won by Cést la vie and ORC 2 by Stress. Class J105 was won by Garbo and finally the X99 class, was won by Piggelin.
2005
With a 175 year KSSS anniversary and Eurocard as the new main sponsor this year’s event also treated us to a Royal European championship, in IMS. The Round Gotland Race started on dead calm waters, as smooth as glass. After a couple of days the wind picked up but this year’s Regatta was regarded as the calmest for many years. This meant that a number of the 234 boats that started the race didn’t make it to the victory ceremony on the Long Jetty that took place on Wednesday. For these boats an extra victory ceremony was held on Thursday morning.
King Harald of Norway Won the IMS European championship
The new IMS European championship, where the Round Gotland Race made up the final qualifying round of five, was won by the Norwegian King Harald in his Fram XIV. However, the IMS EM class in the Round Gotland Race was won by the Finnish Tiiamari.
The overall victor in the Eurocard Round Gotland Race 2005 was the Finnish Xantippa, which also won class IMS 2.
Class IMS SM was won by Ingvar Hertzman in Du Soleil. Class IMS 1 was won by Team Primetime.
Class ORC 1 was won by Abalone and ORC 2 was won by the old Scampi boat Boj-Boj. ORC Grand Open, the class where the largest boats sail was won this year by Royal Blue. Last year’s winner Essex Girl came third. Class X99 was won by Recovery and class J/105 was won by Norrsken.
2006
213 from nine countries raced in nine classes on four courses of varying lengths. On the longest course Alfa, 430M, all the Multihull boats set sail, the three large boats and the six smaller boats. On course Bravo, 363M – a more traditional course – all the IMS boats and the boats in the Grand Open class sailed.
On course Charlie, 339M, the ORC 1 and ORC 2 boats competed as well as the J/80 boats. And on the shortest course of 177M raced the Baltic Race Classic Yachts, on a course that turned at Salvorev and did not round Gotland at all. The weather was good and offered changing winds between 2 and 6 m/s conditions which seldom offer the opportunity for speed records. ORC Club was now the largest class with 116 boats in two classes, compared to IMS which had 68 boats in two classes.
Despite this, it was an IMS boat that in accordance with the rules would become the overall victor in the Round Gotland Race. Therefore, there was a lot of apprehension at the IMS 1 start, with several false starts as a consequence. Among those that had to turn around for a new start were the favourites, Progressiva/Sony Ericsson with Thomas Blixt as helmsman and Grand Soleil 42 HQ Bank with Gutta Johansson and Gurra Krantz as helmsmen.
It was naturally a Classic boat – Refanut – which crossed the finishing line first as they sailed on the shortest course. The winner in the Classic Class was, on calculated time, the old totally renovated Fastnet winner Anahita. The first Monohull boat over the line, which sailed on the longest course, was VO-70 boat Ericsson, a first time competitor. But despite being the fastest boat around Gotland they became disappointedly beaten on calculated time by Deva Essex Girl.
Knut Frostad in the Norwegian trimaran Academy won class Multi Open 60, for the third consecutive year, after a tough battle with HiQ. In class Multi Open 30, where the smaller trimarans set sail, Vinden won with Fredrik Adilstam as helmsman. He made a fantastic start and managed to hold onto the lead all the way around the course.
ORC Club 1 was won by UK Syversen from GKSS, and ORC Club 2 was won by Valenna II. The old Scampi boat Boj-Boj, with Magnus Forslund who was competing for the 39th time, came second in the class. The J/80 class was won by Björnsnabben. In class IMS 2 the victor was Team Aquavilla and in IMS 1 the winner was Ralf Aspholm on the Synergia 40 Data Communication, also proclaimed as the overall victor of 2006.
Competition Facts
The Round Gotland Race is arranged by KSSS in accordance with international yacht-racing rules. In the early days of yacht –racing, stable wooden long-distance boats competed, with navigation instruments primarily consisting of a watch, compass, ruler, sextant and nautical chart.
Today there are practically no restrictions with regard to construction, material or equipment. Exact bearings can be obtained in a split second with the aid of Decca chains and satellites.
The overall responsibility for the competition lies with the Sailing Committee, which is made up of the Competition Manager, Sailing Leader, Press Manger and Health & Safety Officer. An essential part of the safety work ahead of the competition is the collaboration with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), the Swedish Maritime Administration’s sea rescue group, Stockholm Radio, Coast Guards, Marine Police and the Fire Brigade. All with the aim of creating good preparations ahead of any possible accidents that may occur.
During its 70 year history the Round Gotland Race has, apart from the collisions in the 1980s and other smaller dramatic incidents, been spared from serious accidents. The reason for this may be that all the participants follow the stipulated safety regulations to the letter.
Within the ORC, Ocean Race Committee, there is a group, the Special Regulation Committee, whose members, from different countries all over the world, systematically coordinate all existing safety regulations. The aim is to create uniform equipment standards for all ocean racers.
KSSS Information Committee 2007
Source: KSSS year book, Round Gotland Race, Sailing Kings and Royal yachtsmen, as well as press clips.