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Austrian Christian Phann and his crew onboard Austrian yacht Vento Cadela is the winner of 7th Thousand Islands Race. First leg was already slowest ever among seven editions of Thousand Islands Race and second leg was according forecast promissing to be even slower as it was at the end. Second leg started at noon on Thursday 26 September from Porto Montenegro under 2-3 knots of wind just enough to slowly pull the fleet out of bay of Boka Kotorska in hope that wind will strengthen around Dubrovnik. On the entire course boats speeds never exeed 6-7 knots and the whole leg challenged everybody's patience and skill to find the wind in difficult conditions. Austrian Vento Cadela, Slovenian Macropus and Slovakian Lucia X were neck to neck alternating lead, never more then one NM apart and much closer at times during entire race.

The thrill of Thousand Islands Race is variety of courses one can choose among more than thousand islands. Macropus' choice to pass south of islands Molat and Ist deliverd significant lead while Lucia X and Vento Cadela passed on the northern side. However, not for long as Macroups soon dropped into lull and Lucia X and Vento Cadela cought up. From then on they all three close together fought to find every breath of wind until arrival to the finish line in Rijeka

At the end all three togehter entered Rijeka harbour with light south breeze. Lucia X first crossed finish line after more then 77 hours of racing, only 47 seconds ahead of Macropus while Vento Cadela followed after 4 minutes and 20 seconds that was enough for her to win second leg under corrected time. Since she won first leg also Vento Cadela was the winner of 7th Thousand Islands Race. Macropus, that was already once second and twice third in previous regatta edditions added one more second place to her trophies. Last year winner of the regatta Lucia X got third place.

Fact that wind was very slow on this leg resulted in Montenegreen crew on board Sofia estimate that they will not be able to cross finish line until extended time limit at 04:00 on Monday 30 September and decided to motor to Rijeka.

In spite of demanding conditions of this year's regatta or even because of it crews did not hide contnet and excitment and announced they will come back next year to 8th Thousand Islands Race that will be held form 17-27 September 2020. . Results ...
 










 


The first leg of 7th Thousand Islands Race that started at noon on Sunday 22nd September from Rijeka Harbour on 278 NM long course among more than thousand Adriatic islands to the finish line to marina Portomontenegro in Tivat could in short be described as: „from lull to lull“. However, between two calms at the start and the finish, there was everything that makes offshore racing intereresting and demonstrates why this is one of the most beautiful race courses nature designed. Fleet not numerous but profoundly international consisting of crews form Austria, Croatia, Great Britain, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Hope many sailors had that bura (NE) in Rijeka after four consecutive days before regatta began would stay, proved to be wishfull thinking and tradition of starting in lights air prevailed.

Optimistic was the prognosis calling for jugo (SE) over almost entire course the first two days into the race, meaning a lot of close hauled sailing and longer route. However, as long as there is wind sailors are happy. Boats speeds that could be traced on the Internet in real time more significantly increased only after passing island Rab.

Forcasted jugo reached 15 knots with gusting 20 knots. In the first part of the race three retirement occured. First one was due to mast falling down of Austrian Sayg I the only multihull competing with luckily no injury for its two crew members and this meant end of the race for them and stop at Punat.
Injury requiring medical assistance but not serious, happened to a crew member of Austrian Abracadabra forcing her to stop in Biograd. Bad news continued and Croatian Mowgli lost its mast at Žirje island and forced them to retire. Mowgli luckily without any injury to the crew, first called at Kapri island and next morning continued to Tribunj.

Last year winner Slovakian Lucia X with Croatian crew ripped foresail that required crew to climg up the mast needing course detour find shelter to complete repairs. This caused loss of valuable time and chance of good result on the first leg.  Rest of the fleet was sailing with SE avoiding several local thunderstorms before jugo (SE) gave way in the middle Adriatic to forcasted tramontana (N) and north westerly.

Four boats Slovenian Macropus, Austrian Vento Cadela, Slovakian Lucia X and British Atame with Italian crew on board were exchanging lead. Hungarian Sunday Morning, the biggest in the fleet was the only one choosing course close to the shore through Zadar channel and north of Korcula and Mljet islands. Weather conditions almost ideal until Dubrovnik and Cavtat turned into lull from the begining of the story. Almost all night from Tuesday to Wednesday before and after entry of Bay of Boka Kotorska boats were crawling at speed of 1-2 knots.

First boats came close to finish around six o'clock on the Wednesday morning but they needed more than three hours for few last NM. SLovenian Macropus and Austrian Vento Cadela were match racing using every breath of the wind avaialble. At the end Macropus crossed the finish line first at 09:34:13 after more then 69 hours of racing making this the slowest first leg in the history of Thousand Isalnds Race. Austrian Vento Cadela with Christian Pfann at the helm crossed the line 12 minutes later and that was enough to win the race under corrected time and very soon became apparent no other boat still racing could endanger their overall lead.

Long lasting first leg caused cancellation of Thousand Islands Race + 2 planned in Bay of Boka Kotorska for the layover between two legs. There will be almost no rest for Montenegrin Sofia that finished last because start of second leg follows soon – at noon on Thursday 26th September 2019.. Results ...
 



 


 

Nautika Centar Nava is offering X4.3 yachts for charter for one or both legs of the Thousand Islands Race. Boats are equipped with racing sails, safety equipment and ORC certificate. Available charter options ...
 








 
 


Sailing Club of Rijeka and Porto Montenegro Yacht Club are privileged to announce dates and invite sailors to the seventh Thousand Islands Race from 19 - 29 September 2019. The race that is run among more than 1000 Adriatic islands is sailed on what we like to call as the best offshore course that nature may design.

There are two legs and participating yachts can choose to race leg 1 only, leg 2 only or both legs. First leg is starting on Sunday, September 22nd in front of the historic Rijeka harbour in Croatia. Race course is set to leave islands Unije, Susak, Premuda, Dugi Otok, Kornat, Vis, Lastovo and Sv. Andrija on starboard and finish in front of Porto Montenegro marina in Tivat, Montenegro. Over distance of about 280 miles, challenge of navigating among the many islands and channels of the Croatian coast and fascinating Boka Kotorska bay await competitors. In return they are awarded by pleasure of sport and stunning region's natural beauty known around the world for its character.

After the prize giving party on Wednesday, September 25th, the fleet races back to Rijeka on the same course, starting on Thursday, September 26th followed by the prize giving scheduled for Saturday, September 29th in Rijeka.
A short promotional tune-up race is planned in Rijeka on Saturday 21st September and "1000 islands + 2 race" in Boka bay on Wednesday September 25th. Thousand Islands Race, already outstanding sailing experience in addition with its social events in Rijeka and Porto Montenegro marina would give good time together, seeing fellow sailors and meeting new friends.

Both legs records were set in 2015 by Hungarian Wild Joe. 27h 25m 5s with average speed of 10.14 kt for Leg 1 and 32h 45s with speed of 8.86 kt for Leg 2 are recognized by the World Speed Sailing Record Council. This is new challenge for Thousand Islands Race participants and opportunity to be listed in World Speed Sailing Records.

Entries in monohull division need an ORC Club or ORC International certificate and for multihull division, MOCRA certificate. Accepted are also double handed, one-design or boats of same type or production model as separate categories. Entry fee is 700 EUR but significant discount to 450 EUR for entries and entry fee payment received before 01.01.2019. There is also further discount for boats competing in one leg only.


Please consult Notice of Race for details, and also accommodation details in Rijeka and Tivat as well as logistic information about both venues. There are options for crew availability. In addition we would be very happy to answer your queries via scor@scor.hr.
The easiest way to make your entry is on-line entry form. We are looking forward to see list of entered boats grow and host top sailors on this unique offshore race.
 


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