The ORC Double-Handed World Championship, organized by the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (Kongelig Norsk Seilforening – KNS) in collaboration with the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), celebrated three new ORC Double-Handed World Champions in Tønsberg, Norway. The race, spanning 300 to 340 miles on the legendary Skaw Racecourse, started from Oslo on June 11 and concluded in Tønsberg on June 13-14, culminating in a festive finish and medal ceremony today, June 15.

The new champions, along with other podium teams, demonstrated exceptional sailing prowess in a variety of race conditions. The highly competitive fleet of sixty-eight teams representing ten nations truly made it a global event. All titles were claimed by Norwegian teams, who had a slight advantage due to their familiarity with the race course's weather conditions in Oslofjords and Skagerrak.

Class A

“We are super happy!” exclaims Karl Otto Book, sailing with his wife, Maren Magda (NOR), on Landmark 43 WHITE SHADOW. Following their triumph at the 2023 ORC DH Europeans in Denmark, they’ve now claimed the World Championship title at home. Completing the race in 49 hours, 13 minutes, and 50 seconds, their journey to victory wasn’t just sunshine and rainbows.

“After a not-so-good start, we were in a good position after Oslofjords as the second boat,” said Karl Otto Book. “Then, after Fiftlet, we were standing for 12 hours in the train station, giving away our tickets to the others, and we could see the train leaving… It was difficult, and when we came to Arendal, we were not very happy. But we managed to start fresh, and after that, it’s been a fantastic race for us.” He also credited their versatile boat, which performs exceptionally well in almost all conditions.

Class A saw fierce competition, mainly among four boats. Another Landmark 43, GAME, helmed by Calle Andersen and Espen Guttormsen, led the race initially but had to withdraw during the second night. Pre-race favorite WHITE SHADOW then had a neck-and-neck battle with Swan 45 ZORRO of Thomas Robberstad and Per Haugen (NOR) and Aquatich 40 SNAKKAS with Per Sorted and Frode Johansen (NOR), emerging as runner-up and third respectively in this long and demanding race with only 27 and 30 minutes margins in corrected times after the winner.

After 47 hours, 26 minutes, and 47 seconds of sailing, the first boat to cross the finish line near Tønsberg and take the Line Honors of Class A was TP52 JOKERMAN, sailed by Per Ottar Skaaret and Thomas Nilsson (NOR). They expertly fine-tuned their boat for double-handed sailing, showcasing remarkable skills and strategic adjustments. Despite a troublesome start, they built their speed throughout the race, finishing 5th on the list at a corrected time.

Class B

Local sailors from Tønsberg Seilforening, Sigmund Hertzberg and Tim Sandberg (NOR), sailing on Dehler 30 HYRROKKIN, proudly brought the title home. After last year’s B Class European Bronze in Denmark, winning the World Championship title on home waters was especially sweet.

Despite their fifteen years of experience sailing these waters, each race presents new challenges. HYRROKKIN led the race from the beginning, developing an amazing speed and being the second boat to cross the finish line of the entire fleet after Class A's TP52 JOKERMAN took the Line Honors. They claimed the Line Honors of this class well ahead of the competitors. “Hyrrokkin” is derived from Norwegian mythology, representing a giantess known for her incredible strength.

“Nice conditions, the boat went as fast as it should be, and we worked as a team – so it was nice,” said Sigmund Hertzberg happily. “Second boat to finish, only ten minutes after the downgraded TP52 – it was great. We were struggling with the big boats, like we always do, with our small HYRROKKIN,” Tim Sandberg added. They managed their sleeping shifts effectively, which was part of their competitive edge.

Kristian Jerpetjon and Andreas Tinglum (NOR) won the silver, sailing on Figaro 2 TETRAKTYS. Having won Class C European bronze in 2023 in Denmark, they finished this competition strong, adding another set of medals to their double-handed discipline ORC title collection. “After 50 hours of fantastic racing in the Oslofjord and Skagerak, we finished as silver medalists. This achievement was beyond what we dreamed of,” said Kristian Jerpetjon.

Michael Höfgen and Eckhard Kaller (GER) raced Arcona 385 LIGHTWORKS and completed the podium for Class B. “I think we sailed well overall. We always sailed the boat fast except for a short half-hour low... We were always at the top of the polars,” owner Höfgen reflected. For him, the bronze medal after double-handed silver with Max Gurgel in 2022 in Sweden is his second double-handed World Championship medal within two years. “This world championship was a great experience, very intense. It was a lot of fun,” Höfgen said.

Class C

Another team of local sailors, Halvor Shøyen and Rune Tønnessen (NOR), sailing their X-332 FLUX, were pleasantly surprised by their remarkable achievement. With thirty years of sailing together, including double-handed, their deep understanding of the local weather systems paid off, earning them the prestigious World Champion title in Class C.

“Two full days of sailing starting in Oslo in very light winds, but we managed quite well,” said Halvor Shøyen happily at the dock. “The objective was to survive the Oslo fjords to the open sea, and we had a good boat speed to do that and were very concentrated. Our boat is very good for us and for two people to handle. We know the boat and have sailed a similar boat before. We know the equipment onboard, and this time it was a great success for us,” Shøyen concluded.

Taking the Class C Line Honors, finishing just ahead of FLUX, was Farr 30 CONSENSUS of Lars Bergkvist and Anders Dahlsjo (SWE). Both have been on the podium of the ORC double-handed championships before. Anders Dahlsjo, on his Z30+ ZEUS, was crowned as the first-ever ORC double-handed world champion in Class A in 2022 in Sweden and was runner-up at the Europeans last year. Lars Bergkvist sailed to European silver with Farr 30 in Denmark in 2023. Just a one-minute margin between the winner and runner-up shows how close the racing was in this class.

The Knudsen brothers, Øyvind and Martin (NOR), completed the Class C podium, with their First 34.7 LETHE, just 17 minutes behind the winner in corrected time. Having sailed together for nearly forty years, their deep bond and vast experience make them a formidable team. Their skill was showcased in 2023 when Team LETHE won the Class C European double-handed title in Denmark.