Less Than Three Months to the 56th Moonsund Regatta – Registration Now Open | 23 Apr 13, piret.salmistu

The 56th Moonsund Regatta, the longest-running offshore competition in Estonia, which is also the Estonian Offshore Championships for ORC, ESTLYS and Folkboot as well as the third stage of the Estonian Offshore Cup of the Estonian Yachting Union, will take place from 13-20 July. The Regatta will take place on the route Haapsalu-Heltermaa-Kuivastu-Pärnu-Roomassaare.

The largest sailing event in the Baltic States starts in Haapsalu, where the Regatta went again last year after 10 years of pause. The City of Haapsalu has promised to welcome and host the participants of the historical Regatta as they deserve. Three harbours will be waiting for the yachts − Westmeri, Grand Holm Harbour and Veskiviigi, yachts with deeper draft can dock at Rohuküla Rohuküla. The Harbours of Heltermaa and Kuivastu will accommodate the participants during one night and thereafter the Regatta will stay at Pärnu Yacht Club for two days. The night stage that starts from the Summer Capital Pärnu, will take the yachts to the final harbour in Roomassaare. A couple of days in Saaremaa allow the locals to end the grand event with a worthy finish during the 450th anniversary of the City of Kuressaare and Saaremaa Maritime Week, which starts at the same time.

 

The website www.muhuvain.ee features updated information on the Regatta, registration is also open there. Notice of race and other documents: http://www.muhuvain.ee/regatta-2013/race-documents

Registration form: http://www.muhuvain.ee/regatta-2013/registration-form
Registered yachts: http://www.muhuvain.ee/regatta-2013/participants

 

Early Bird registration until 31 May.

 

To recognise the first registering participant, the smallest yacht at last year’s Regatta, Marielle from the Seaplane Harbour, captain Kalev Metsalu, will receive a book Mere kutse (Call of the Sea), which is written by 2010 X-41 class world champion Mati Sepp.

 

It is actually quite difficult to understand if the Moonsund Regatta is a competition or a voyage on the sea. Formally, it really is a competition, but the life on land between the stages has helped the sailors to recover from long sailing during the day and night, placing a different kind of “burden” on the mind and body. This is not an event only for sailors, but a great party also for everyone who comes to cheer on. Everyone is welcome to welcome the sailors and the fleet at different harbours.

 

The 55th Moonsund Regatta that took place in 2012 was the regatta with most participants in the history of Estonia with 115 participating yachts from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia, with more than 700 sailors on board. The Folkboot class that celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, got up to speed and they were represented by a 11-yacht flotilla at the Regatta.

Video summary of last year’s Regatta: http://www.tv3play.ee/play/282305/

 

This year’s Regatta has all the possibilities for breaking this record again, in order to remain a memorable event in the short Estonian summer.

 

The Moonsund Regatta is organised by ESS Kalev Yacht Club in cooperation with Pärnu Yacht Club, Saaremaa Maritime Sports Society and Estonian Yachting Union. The sponsors of the Moonsund Regatta are A. Le Coq, Helly Hansen/Sportland, Loodusinvest, Dermoshop and AS Saaremaa Piimatööstus, cooperation partners and supporters are Saarte Liinid, City of Haapsalu, Estonian Maritime Administration.