From 7–15 August 2026, Klaipėda, Lithuania, will host the ORC European Championship for the first time, welcoming one of the strongest offshore racing fleets in Europe. Reigning world and European champions will line up alongside some of the newest and fastest racing yachts on the international circuit, promising an exceptional battle for the continental titles.

Champions and challengers prepare for Klaipėda

The entry list brings together an impressive mix of proven champions, ambitious challengers and state-of-the-art racing yachts. From reigning world and European title holders to the latest generation of high-performance designs, the fleet promises intense competition across every class as teams prepare to battle for the ORC European titles.

Among the favourites in Class C is Sweden's Garmin Team Pro4u of Patrik Forsgren on his ONE OFF (First 36.7 mod) – the 2025 ORC Overall and Corinthian World Champions, 2024 ORC European Championship runners-up and 2026 Sweden’s ORCi Champions, who are eager to experience championship racing in Lithuanian waters for the first time.

"Our team has a new constellation after last year’s success. During the winter, we regrouped and prepared the boat to be in the best shape for our most packed season yet. The ORC Europeans in Klaipéda is our main focus this summer, and we look forward to tough competition against the best in Europe," the Garmin Team Pro4u crew said.

Another strong contender is Estonia's Amserv Toyota Sailing Team, skippered by Margus Žuravljov aboard the sistership First 36.7 mod. Fifth in Class C at the 2025 Garmin ORC World Championship, the team arrives in Klaipėda as the reigning Estonian and Finnish ORC champions after also claiming overall victory at last week's A. Le Coq Moonsund Regatta, Estonia's largest offshore sailing event.

One of the major sporting changes for 2026 is the merger of the A and B classes into a single A/B division, meaning Class B yachts will face the additional challenge of racing against larger A Class boats.

Among the teams embracing that challenge is Denmark's Dixi 5 by Erik Stannow. After winning silver medals at both the 2024 ORC European Championship in Åland and the 2025 Garmin ORC World Championship in Tallinn, the Danish crew arrives in Klaipėda determined to climb one step higher.

"We are looking forward to continuing on our journey of getting better with our “new” XR-41 Dixi 5. It’s a new racing area that we don’t know at all, so we have a steep learning curve to understand the area as well as possible before and during the regatta. We have a strong and experienced team combined with a competitive boat – we hope this will give us a great starting point,” said Erik Stannow.

For most of the Danish crew, this will also be their first visit to Lithuania. “We are looking forward to experiencing the country, seeing the city and meeting the locals during our stay - and seeing all the ORC sailors and friends we meet all over Europe.”

Fresh from winning the Class A bronze medal at the 2025 Garmin ORC World Championship in Tallinn, Estonia's Mati Sepp arrives in Klaipėda aboard his Ecoracer 44 Clean Energy. His previous X-41 campaign claimed the Class B title at the 2025 ORC European Championship during the 43rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE and followed it up with Class B silver at the 2026 ORC World Championship in Sorrento.

"Our yacht E-44 was designed by Matteo Polli, and we have worked hard over a long period to find the boat's optimal speed and correct trim,” said Mati Sepp. “At the 2025 Garmin ORC World Championships in Class A, we were already close to the yacht's maximum potential, so we believe the development work we have done in 2026 will allow us to compete for medals in Klaipeda!"

The newest generation of racing yachts arrives in Lithuania

Modern offshore racing is shaped not only by the quality of the crews, but increasingly by yacht design. Every season brings faster and more refined boats, and 2026 is no exception.

The Klaipėda ORC European Championship will feature at least two of the newest M.A.T. 11 yachts. The design has already established itself at the highest level after the Italian Robe Da Mat claimed the 2026 ORC World Championship title in Sorrento.

Adding further sporting intrigue, one of these state-of-the-art yachts will be sailed by Lithuania's own Arabela, skippered by Raimondas Šiugždinis. The team arrives as the reigning ORC Class B Corinthian World Champions and former ORC Class C Corinthian World Champions, having also claimed the Class C bronze medal at the 2023 ORC World Championship in Kiel.

"It's still too early to predict how competitive we’ll be with the new boat. Right now we're working intensively on everything from installing electronics and preparing the hull to stepping the mast. Normally it takes time to understand how a yacht performs and which settings deliver maximum speed. Unfortunately, we don't have much time, so we'll have to learn very quickly," said Šiugždinis.

The team hopes to have the yacht fully prepared in time for the Curonian Lagoon Regatta on July 25-26, where they will be able to test it under race conditions.

The second M.A.T. 11 competing in Klaipėda will be Denmark's Stony X, skippered by Steen Toftebjerg.

Home teams ready to challenge Europe's best

Another Lithuanian team arriving with a new yacht is Keturi vėjai, led by Karolis Janulionis. The team has replaced its previous J/112 with a larger and more competitive X-41, the same yacht design that won the 2024 and 2025 ORC European Championship – in Åland and in Palma, respectively.

"Looking at previous results, the X-41 has consistently been one of the strongest boats in this group. Of course, with even newer designs now entering the fleet, the competition will be tougher than ever. Still, if conditions suit us, we believe we can be competitive. Our biggest challenge will simply be getting fully accustomed to the new boat before racing begins," Janulionis said. Five X-41s are entered for the championship, making it one of the strongest one-design battles within the ORC fleet.

For the Lithuanian team, competing at home makes the championship even more special. "This is a fantastic opportunity and a challenge we've been looking forward to–for both the sailors and the organisers. We're expecting a truly outstanding championship."

Thomas Nilsson, ORC ManCom Member and Head of Communication:

"Hosting an ORC Championship for the first time is a proud moment for any sailing nation, and we are delighted to see Lithuania join that list. We know how much work goes into delivering an event like this, and I would like to thank the organisers and volunteers for their dedication. We look forward to a fantastic championship, great racing, and a warm Lithuanian welcome for all competitors."

The Klaipėda ORC European Championship will take place from 7 to 15 August. Throughout the week, the Regatta Village at the Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal will be open to visitors, offering maritime experiences, educational activities, exhibitions, entertainment, and live events that invite visitors to experience the world of offshore sailing.

The Klaipėda ORC European Championship is funded by the Klaipėda City Municipality and is partially financed by the State Budget of Lithuania through the National Sports Agency.

The Klaipeda ORC European Championship 2026 is organised by the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU), under the authority of the Lithuanian Yachting Union (LYU) and under the overall authority of the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC).