Finnish Offshore Racing Association and Åländska Segelsällskapet, as the organizers of the 2024 ORC European Championship, are proudly announcing Garmin as the Gold Sponsor of the event, being held from August 9 to 17 in Mariehamn, Åland. As a global company, Garmin is one of the most experienced GPS technology developers and manufacturers. Time is ticking as the 2024 ORC European Championship draws closer and the early entry deadline approaches. Competitors are reminded that May 31's early entry deadline is only a few days away.

A sustainable event is made together

The keyword of this year’s ORC Europeans is sustainability. The event organization is on a mission not only to host a memorable sailing event in the heart of the Baltic Sea, but also to raise awareness of our beloved ocean and ensure that the event is organized as sustainably and climate-friendly as possible. All sponsors and partners share the same values and pay special attention to measuring sustainability and reducing the climate footprint in their areas.

"We are very fortunate and extremely grateful for the great support of our sponsors and supporters," says Noora Westerlund, Regatta Chair and CEO of the Finnish Offshore Racing Association. "It is because of contributions from well-known and industry-recognized partners such as Garmin and Navionics, the Government of Åland, Visit Åland, Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, Viking Line, Ålandhotels, Superyellow, Origin by Ocean, John Nurminen Foundation, Nordic Offset Oy, and Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association, the 2024 ORC European Championship is on a course to be a great event!”  

Gold Sponsor Garmin designs, manufactures, markets, and sells navigation, communication, and information devices and applications, most of which utilize GPS technology. As the world's most innovative and recognized marine electronics manufacturer, Garmin has revolutionized life for sailors, mariners, and boat enthusiasts everywhere with chart plotters, marine cartography, radar, autopilots, transducers, and more. Garmin, with Navionics, will provide the course details for the long offshore race and award Garmin Quatix 7 Pro Sapphire GPS multisport watches to the long offshore race winners and the overall winners of the 2024 ORC Europeans. Like all the other event partners, Garmin is committed to sustainability. “We measure our sustainability through environmental and social impacts, financial results, and company leadership,” says their mission.

Both event partners in the logistics field, the official travel partner of the event Viking Line and Ålandhotels, are on the same mission. Through strong commitment and concrete measures to reduce its climate impact, Viking Line, a market-leading brand in passenger traffic on the northern Baltic Sea, has become a leading player in sustainable tourism. Ålandhotels, a leading player in the Åland tourist market with three hotels and three restaurants, acknowledges its environmental responsibility and strives for environmentally friendly heritage and practices in all areas of its business.

Other event partners, such as the John Nurminen Foundation and Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association, have worked hard to Save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations. 

Founded in 1992, the John Nurminen Foundation's projects improve the status of the Baltic Sea by reducing the nutrient load and environmental problems, such as eutrophication and nature loss, faced by the sea. Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association is a Finnish environmental organization for boaters and all those traveling in and around Finnish waterways. The association has been working for a cleaner archipelago and lake nature since 1969, aiming to protect waterways and encourage everyone, both individually and collectively, to work towards cleaner waterways. 

The event's climate footprint will be calculated in collaboration with Nordic Offset, a climate responsibility expert company founded in 2008. With extensive industry experience and a strong climate consulting track record, the company is known as Finland's leading expert in carbon footprint management.

The Finnish Offshore Racing Association and Åländska Segelsällskapet are extremely proud to be partnered with these outstanding companies and sincerely thank them for their generous support of the 2024 ORC European Championship.

51 teams from 10 nations have signed up to race in the archipelago in the middle of the Baltic Sea this August. As anticipation builds for this prestigious event, competitors are encouraged to secure their spots and take advantage of early bird registration discounts before the June 1st deadline. 

Starting this year, ORC championships will feature an enhanced four-class division format, and the CDL limits reported in NOR have been updated to match the 2024 ORC VPP. The entry fees will increase by four classes as follows:

Class 0: 16.400 ≥ CDL > 13.550 (1400€ → 1700€)

Class A: 13.550 ≥ CDL > 11.270 (1100€ → 1400€)

Class B: 11.270 ≥ CDL > 9.630 (1000€ → 1300€)

Class C: 9.630 ≥ CDL > 8.000 (900€ → 1200€)

Official Notice Board

“I am looking forward to the ORC Europeans in Åland,” says Ecky von der Mosel, ORC Vice Chairman and Head of the ORC Worlds in Kiel 2014 and 2023. “I particularly love this area of the Baltic Sea, and I’m very happy about the great development of the ORC fleets in Finland and the neighboring countries. The organizing team has already done a great job, and I am convinced that the event will exceed all expectations.”

The ORC European Championships 2024, hosted by ÅSS Marina, is organized by the Finnish Offshore Racing Association, Åländska Segelsällskapet, and Offshore Racing Congress.