Gotland Runt 2009

Two Fast: njuter svenskt gästvänlighet i Sandhamn
Datum: 04 Jul 23:32

Sommarens roligaste och lugnaste segling ligger nu bakom oss. Two Fast har bytt i "fritt" mode och njuter av svenskt gästvänlighet i Sandhamn med lite mat och dryck. Vi har sjungit också lite svenska snapsvisor, men även vi var aploderades flera gången att fortsätta, vi orkade inte mer. Men ni kan vara säkert att vi kommer tillbaks nästa år med mera och bättre sånger. Också på finska!

Two Fast började sin resa från Hangö redan förra söndag. Vi deltagade först Hangö-Sandham regattan över Ålands. Two Fast vann regattan både i ORC 1 och IRC klasser, och det var bra möjlighet att trimma båten för årets huvudtävling, Gotland Runt. - Two Fast är nytt båt för oss och besättning har seglat med det bara två månader och som det ser ut just nu, vi kommer att bli fjärde av 27 deltagare i IRC C klassen och man måste vara mycket nöjd med detta, säger skepparen Jaakko.

- Hela veckan har varit underbart, besättning har njutit vackert svensk väder och strålande sol, härligt semesterväder men inte så bra racingväder. Vi hade totalt 13 personer i besättning, 10 segeln och 3 dator med oss, så det var lite trångt inne men med bra humör har vi klarat oss riktigt bra, kommenterar navigator Kimmo.

Så nu är det dags att fira! Om du ser medlemmar av Two Fast besättning denna kväll och natt, hälsa dom och bjuda på en snaps, men om dom ser illa ut imorgon vid hamnen, var vänlig och bjuda på lite medicin och vatten att vi klarar oss hem!

Tack KSSS och vi ses igen i Gotland Runt år 2010 !

Two Fast: celebrating arrival already with champagne
Datum: 04 Jul 16:08

It didn't take long time after the Two Fast finished the race as the crew found a bottle of champagne to celebrate Two Fast's first and succesfull Gotland Runt.

Two Fast: finishing the race just before the American Cup winner Russel Coutts
Datum: 04 Jul 15:20

Two Fast finished her race at 15:16:51.

Two Fast: we might miss Saturday lunch at Sandhamn
Datum: 04 Jul 10:06

The final leg from Visby didn't start that well as we were stalled with Lexus, Tieto Passion and some other boats in the front of Visby for 1,5 hours. Few boats that sailed away from shore passed us including some IRC C boats. The wind was picking up during the night and we have been doing good pace in 12 knts East wind and we have managed to gain some places.

12 miles South of Almagrundet the wind disppeared again and we are now cruising at 3 knots.

We might miss Saturday lunch at Sandhamn, so chefs need to cook another meal for us at the sea.

Two Fast: the final leg...
Datum: 04 Jul 02:02

Two Fast passed Visby at 19:15 after few showers and thunder on the way there.

We have started the final leg from Visby via Almagrundet to Sandhamn and that leg will definately separating the wheat from the chaff. Two Fast is ready to take that challenge and show her performance.

We have been notified that the Saturday dinner has been changed as Sunday lunch and at the same time we have heard that some boats will interrupt the race because of lack of supplies and other duties of the crews.

Two Fast: rounding Hoburg at 08:20
Datum: 03 Jul 09:25

One moment during the Gotland Runt that all the crews remember is rounding the Hoburg. Even the members of Two Fast crew have been rounding that several times, they didn't take a risk to anger "Hoburg Gubbe" and sacrificed from their limited resources of "Jekku" a whole bottle in order to get better winds for Two Fast.

In spite of her slowest 24 hrs in past, Two Fast is optimistic that the wind now gets better and they will return to Sandhamn in time to join the Regatta Dinner on Saturday evening.

Two Fast: meets the old racing buddy
Datum: 02 Jul 12:16

Two Fast is currently SW of Gotska Sandön and racing head-to-head with Tieto Passion (Grand Open ORC B) in 5 knts wind. Tieto Passion is the same boat that beat Two Fast for only 39 seconds in the 160 mile Suursaari Race early June in Gulf of Finland.

The crew has just finished the breakfast and has raised the A1 spinnaker and are preparing themselves for the next turn towards South of Gotland.

The crew of Two Fast are questioning, whether their friends from Espoo Farr Out (Finngulf 43) has changed to "stealth mode" as they have not reported their position for four hours ??

Two Fast: leading the IRC C fleet at Nynäshamns Angöring turn
Datum: 02 Jul 07:05

The winner of Hangö-Sandhamn race, Two Fast, has taken her position as a leading boat at the turn of Nynäshamns Angöring.

The crew has worked extremely hard during the night to find winds and that paid off and they turned at 03:25, 5 minutes ahead of Norwegian Kristin (Landmark 43).

The whole IRC C class has now made the turn and after the corrections Two Fast is at 10th position just 38 min behind the class leader Krut (A 35).

Two Fast is currently sailing on the light wind at the speed of around 5-6 knots and Helsman Jukka (middle) is steering the boat.

- Beautiful morning with sun welcomed the crew again and that motivates to sail the boat optimally, comments skipper Jaakko. - Even the speed is not too fast we are enjoying sailing in the sunshine, adds navigator Kimmo

Two Fast: Challenging, but currently encouraging
Datum: 01 Jul 21:34

It has been challenging start for the race as expected and the crew has been doing a super job by changing different sails to get boat moving ahead.

To honor the arranging country, Swedish dish "Pytt i Panna" was selected as dinner for the first evening and the choice seems to be the right one as it was bringing the wind as well... We are sailing...

Two Fast: final preparations done
Datum: 01 Jul 10:20

Two Fast crew woke early after refreshing long night sleep. Final preparations included hauling all extra gear to shore, final tuning of the rig for very light conditions, updating the latest weather info to navigations software etc. We are now eagerly waiting for the fleet to start disembarking so we can start our way to the starting area. We are one of the most boats most close to mooring...

Two Fast: Extra efforts launched before the start
Datum: 01 Jul 10:16

The rig was checked and trimmed this morning for the last time before the race and as there was some spare time, we took a photo towards starting line in order to give everybody an opportunity to check the latest weather conditions.

As the forecast for the race seems to be rather light, the crew decided to compromise on comfort and made one more extra effort by shortening the handles of the toothbrushes.

Two Fast wishes everyone good luck for the race !

Two Fast: Mikko nominated for his great performance
Datum: 30 Jun 21:16

It has been just recently noted by the crew to the media team that Mikko made a miracle during the Hanko-Sandhamn race.

Mikko, among his other duties during the race also serves as a main chef for the Two Fast. Without Mikko's great performance while cooking and "saving" the dinner from the inner parts of the oven on Sat evening in very demanding sailing conditions in the middle of Baltic Sea, Two Fast crew couldn't have created the superior lead to the rest of the fleet that was needed to win the race. Due to his superior performance during the leg from Hanko-Sandhamn Mikko was awarded to lower the flag of Two Fast on her second night at Sandhamn. Well done Mikko and keep on cooking !!

Two Fast: Winner of Hanko-Sandhamn Race, IRC & ORC 1, UPDATE
Datum: 30 Jun 12:39

Two Fast (Swan 45) has won both the IRC and ORC 1 classes in Hanko - Sandhamn race started from Hanko, Finland on Sun 28.6 afternoon. The time elapsed (18h 06min) is also the new record for Two Fast on this course and shows the great performance of the boat and the crew of the TwoFast.

- The crew arrived to Hanko on Sat morning and switched the cruising boat to racing mode, trimmed the rig and polished the hull in order to make boat performing perfectly during the leg, comments the Skipper Jaakko. - Final sailing strategy was fine-tuned at Hanko Makasiinit on Sat night after getting the latest wind forecasts and that helped us to run the boat optimally and avoid calm spots during the course, adds Navigator Kimmo.

- Even the crew members are very experienced and have been sailing in Gotland Runt earlier, this is anyway the first attendance for Two Fast in the race. After winning the Hanko-Sandhamn race I'm confident that she is ready for her biggest challenge ever and together with the crew she is ready to meet that challenge, adds Skipper Jaakko

Two Fast winning crew pictured in prize awarding ceremony

Results of Hanko-Sandhamn race:

IRC

1. Two Fast, Swan 45
2. Charisma, Archambault 40
3. Isadora 2.0, Finngulf 43

ORC 1

1. Two Fast, Swan 45
2. Pegasus, First 50
3. Wafi, Swan 46 DB

Two Fast: crew evolves
Datum: 30 Jun 08:51

Media Manager Mika will today leave the boat to concentrate his new role as CSO (Chief Shore Officer). Great thanks for Mika for nice time together during the past couple of days.

The crew is happy to welcome the late comers, Mammu and Pekka. They will join the crew in Sandhamn later today.

Two Fast: blog changed to English
Datum: 29 Jun 23:26

Due to increased interest of international media and sailing friends around the world Two Fast decided to change the blogging to English.

Two Fast: Santtu was recognized on his performance
Datum: 29 Jun 21:06

Due to his superior performance during the leg from Hanko-Sandhamn bowman Santtu was awarded to lower the flag of Two Fast on its first night at Sandhamn.

Two Fast: Joins Farr Out for dinner
Datum: 29 Jun 20:46

Teams of Farr Out and Two Fast are joining shared dinner and wishing each of them good luck for the coming race.

Two Fast: Followed by the International media
Datum: 29 Jun 19:23

Two Fast and her crew was immediately spotted by the local and international media after docking the harbour and was interviewed and photographed to the local news.
More in Swedish....

Gotlandruntbloggen

Ment.se

KSSS

Two Fast: arrival to Sandhamn in record speed
Datum: 29 Jun 12:59

Two Fast suprised the organizers and arrived to Sandhamn in record time. As the skipper Jaakko called the organizer from the lighthouse of Almagrudet at 07:36 (Swedish time), the organizers were amazed and could only say "already!"

In order to make the arrival to Sandhamn even more eventful, the crew decided that after the morning coffee is finished... they will put extra effort on sailing and enjoy early morning sunshine and get proper suntan during the last tack that would lead from Alma to finishing line and the shotgun.

During the day the boat has been full of media persons to learn the secrets of Two Fast that arrived to Sandhamn well before the normal schedule and skipper Jaakko and navigator Kimmo have been using their language skills to meet the need the media.

The record speed arrival of Two Fast to Sandhamn have been praised at the front page of Gotland Runt with the words of "För Snabbt - Two Fast"

Two Fast: "Ready to Race"
Datum: 28 Jun 11:52

After trimming the rig it was time to load the latest software versions to the Table PC and configure them to communicate with the instruments on board. All the heavy items were moved to starbord side as the forecast indicated wind for the whole race from North.

It was time to farewell the supporters and loved ones and head to the sea and meet the real world.

Two Fast: early wake up - sunshine in Hanko
Datum: 28 Jun 09:50

The crew woke up early on Sunday Morning to finish up the last duties to start the racing week: Hanko-Sandhamn and Gotland Runt.

After washing the hull a day earlier, Mikko was asked to check the rig as well