Helsinki welcomes top double-handed sailors and Garmin as title sponsor for the ORC DH Europeans
by Offshore Racing Congress 10 Apr 06:30 BST
5-12 July 2025
HSK club house in Helsinki © Matti Vuorimaa
The Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), in collaboration with Helsingfors Segelklubb ry (HSK) and the Finnish Offshore Sailing Association, is happy to welcome double-handed sailing teams to the 2025 ORC Double-Handed European Championship, taking place in Helsinki from 5-12 July 2025.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Helsinki's island-dotted coastline, the regatta offers a unique challenge for the growing double-handed offshore racing community. In an exciting development, the event will debut three additional prize divisions—Female, Mixed Offshore, and Male—replacing the previous Corinthian class and recognizing a broader diversity of top-tier talent.
Garmin onboard as Title Sponsor
Following a successful partnership during the 2024 ORC Europeans in Åland, Garmin® has upgraded its support to become the Title Sponsor for the 2025 ORC DH European Championship. This extends Garmin's commitment to offshore sailing in the Baltic region, as the tech innovator will also be the title sponsor of the Garmin 2025 ORC World Championship in Tallinn, Estonia.
A leader in marine electronics and GPS technology, Garmin will enhance the competition with cutting-edge race tools. This includes detailed course data for both short and long offshore races, temporary race marks added to the Garmin Navionics® chart database, and Garmin quatix® smartwatches awarded to all three class winners.
Garmin's involvement goes beyond branding: in 2024, Iiro Kinnanen from Garmin Nordic Finland worked closely with the race team on-site, and Garmin also organized a Weather Routing Brief and tech seminar through Patrik Forgren's Team Pro4u (SWE). The partnership now includes support for two Garmin-branded boats already registered for the 2025 ORC DH Europeans: Tegu FIN39 and Team Pro4u SWE88.
"We, as Garmin, are very happy and excited about the opportunity to be part of international events such as the ORC DH European Championship. This cooperation also gives us a strong signal that we are developing products that sailors are interested in and that they can rely on in any condition. We look forward to seeing Tegu, Team Pro4u and all the other boats at the pin end this July," said Iiro Kinnanen from Garmin Nordic Finland Oy.
"Garmin has stepped up for Finnish offshore sailing, taking a strong stance as a partner contributing to the success of ORC events in the Baltics. We are extremely happy that we can provide the best possible racing experience to doublehanded teams in Helsinki with the support of Garmin," adds Noora Westerlund, Regatta Chair of the ORC DH Europeans 2025.
Top teams already entered
The early entry list includes 19 teams from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, and Germany, with representation from previous podium finishers:
- Garmin Team Pro4u (SWE) - Patrik Forsgren and his son Emil. Patrik and Joakim Hoppe won the first ORC DH Worlds title in Class C in 2022.
- Lethe (NOR) - Øyvind and Morten Knudsen, 2023 European Class C Champions and 2024 Worlds bronze medalists.
- Team Goodio (FIN) - Kim Jääskeläinen and Turo Nummi, Class C bronze medalists from the 2023 DH Europeans in Denmark.
Learn more about the ORC champions from the ORC Hall of Fame.
Race classes and format
The regatta will feature three ORC classes:
- Class A: APH 418.0-517.9 s/NM
- Class B: APH 518.0-557.9 s/NM
- Class C: APH 558.0-630.0 s/NM
Additional awards will be presented to the best-performing Female, Mixed Offshore, and Male teams.
Preliminary Schedule
5-7 July: Registration and Measurement
7 July: Practice Race & Opening Ceremony
8 July: Short Offshore Race
9-11 July: Long Offshore Race
12 July: Prizegiving Ceremony
Join the fleet
Shorthanded teams from across Northern Europe, the Baltics, and beyond are invited to compete in one of the most exciting offshore championships of the season. HSK, one of Finland's oldest and most respected yacht clubs, offers world-class facilities and a warm welcome to all competitors.
"We are proud to welcome Garmin as the Title Sponsor of the 2025 ORC Double-Handed European Championship," said Bruno Finzi, Chairman of ORC. "Their continued investment in offshore sailing, now supporting both the DH Europeans and the full crew Worlds, is a strong endorsement of our sport. With Garmin's cutting-edge technology and the expert organization by HSK, we anticipate a truly exceptional event in Helsinki."
Don't miss the early entry fee of 550 €—available until May 1st, 2025.
Register and find full event details at: orc.org/dheuropeans2025
The Garmin ORC DH European Championship 2025 organisers are Helsingfors Segelklubb ry (HSK), the Finnish Offshore Sailing Association, and ORC - Offshore Racing Congress.
Follow the Garmin ORC DH European Championship 2025: