5.5 Metre fleet basks in brilliant Hankø sunshine

Twenty-three International 5.5 Metres from 10 nations have made their final preparations in a brilliantly sunny Hankø for the World Championship which starts on Friday. Ten races are scheduled over the next five days in what looks like being a fairly breezy week ahead. Tonight in Hankø, under hot sunny skies the prizegiving took place for the Scandinavian Gold Cup before the opening ceremony for the world championship.

Hankø is the traditional home of Norwegian 5.5 Metre sailing and over the past week many sailors have been enjoying the superb and welcoming hospitality of the Hankø islanders with lavish parties at summerhouses and at the fabulous Hankø Yacht Club. The fleet has enjoyed enjoyed some amazing summer weather over the past few days with high temperatures and hot sunshine making for a very holiday atmosphere. However, the serious stuff starts Friday.

The forecast is for light winds on the opening day before coming in much stronger over the following two or three days. Some are relishing the opportunity, and some are hoping the forecasts are wrong. Some precipitation is also forecast.

On Wednesday the Royal Kaag Classic Cup concluded for the two classic 5.5 Metres entered. After missing out three years ago, Trial (FIN 4, Ville Harkke, Peter Flinkman, Petri Lindström) took a close win against Skylark (FIN 6, Filip Blomquist, Oscar Norström, Elias Huhtala). While Trial was dominant in the windier conditions, Skylark won the last two light wind races to close out the series. Trial was completely renovated in 2017 after being originally built in 1951 to qualify for the Helsinki Olympics, but she only placed second in the qualification races in 1952.

On Wednesday the Royal Kaag Classic Cup concluded for the two classic 5.5 Metres entered. After missing out here years ago, Trial (FIN 4, Ville Harkke, Peter Flinkman, Petri Lindström) took a close win against Skylark (FIN 6, Filip Blomquist, Oscar Norström, Elias Huhtala). While Trial was dominant in the windier conditions, Skylark won the last two light wind races to close out the series. Trial was completely renovated in 2017 after being originally built in 1951 to qualify for the Helsinki Olympics [in 1952], but she only placed second in the qualification races.

In the Grundig Hankø Classic Race Week, eight 5.5 Metres took part in a series of tune-up races with John B (BAH 22, Gavin Mckinney, Mathias Dahlman, Lars Horn Johannessen) putting in the best performance, while other races wins went to Shaolin (SUI 226, Cyrus Golchan, Hans Von Werdt, Andreas Kindlimann), the all-girl crew on Girls on Film (GBR 41, Louise Morton, Annie Lush, Hannah Diamond) and Arunga X11 (AUS 70, Mark Tolhurst, Adam Tolhurst, Stephen Mcconaghy)