ORC DH WC: Linnea Floser and Anders Lewander at Tutalör

In our mini-series of interesting teams in the ORC double-handed Worlds class, we have connected with Linnea Floser and Anders Lewander who sail the Klas Ionzon (and Etie AB) owned Figaro 3 named Tutalör. Linnea and Anders are an exciting constellation that got to know each other both through Linnea's involvement in AtSea Events on Lidingö and through sailing on Elvis (fast 40-class in England). Linnea has a past as a match racing sailor and has since sailed on some different keelboats such as Elvis and Oxygen.

Last year, she participated in both the European and the World Championships in double-handed mixed offshore, together with Martin Strömberg. Anders, the notorious joy spreader, we know mainly as the always helpful sailmaker from North on Lidingö, but he has also, among a lot of other projects, spent a few years as a professional sailor in Australia and a Volvo Ocean Race onboard Ericsson 3.

Tutalör has proven to be very fast on downwind sailing as the foils lift the boat, while it has had a harder time in lighter winds, mainly going upwind. Linnea and Anders have raced the Raymarine2star in the beginning of June and the result may not have been exactly what they had hoped for. Linnea says:

- A lot felt good, but we did some mistakes on the first leg when we sailed the wrong way, which was not great for the total score. The margins are very small and there are many talented crews.

Now it remains to test-sail the archipelago part of Gotland Runt to get a feel for which passages can be tricky.

- It is not easy to get the Figaro 3 round tight passages and in tight racing boat-to-boat, as Linnea puts it.

For those of you who follow Anders or Linnea on Facebook have been able to see their mini-Gotland Runt one night around the islands at Nämdöfjärden outside Saltsjöbaden. The islands were named according to typical rounding marks along Gotland Runt and in this way they could simulate a nights sailing in a fun way. Personally, I thought it was a great setup.

The level of ambition is high. Linnea hopes that they will be able to take advantage of the fact that Tutalör is equipped with foils, which can give a real boost in the right weather. A heavy open reach southward would be a fun start!

Tutalör has been racing a few years and proved to be very capable. With the duo Anna Drugge and Martin Agnsell, it has several wins in various regattas. The boat is equipped with a mainsail, two different jibs, a code and two different asymmetrical spinnakers (A2 and A5).

Linnea goes on to say that she really likes the double-handed concept because you have to take greater responsibility in all different aspects of sailing, which helps that you always have something to do and it is very educational.

When I ask Linnea about her best Gotland Runt memory, she exclaims:

- Does it have to be positive?

During her first Gotland Runt, 2013, onboard the XP33 Tärna, the light weather made it a light air race with many "restarts". On board Tärna, the food and water supplies began to run dry and when passing Almagrundet, the team indulged in one last cup of coffee with the last fresh water on board. At the same time, a meal of freeze-dried with sea water was prepared and the mood dropped quite a bit when they realized that the coffee had instead been mixed with sea water…

It is not always gains or sparkling reaches that one remembers. We thank Linnea for sharing her stories and we wish great luck from KSSS!

Iohn Ryott