Pedersen, Heigberg and Ringstad European Champions

written by Matias Collins  on  September 19  of  2026 and read by 669

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Grimstad delivered the tuff conditions the North Sea can offer, a weather state that menaced the event, which had 4 days of racing and only at the third one some real competition started where 3 races were held in nearly perfect conditions, the two first there were no racing, either to a heavy situation or a no breeze at all.

This last day of racing delivered again challenging conditions, but the race committee managed to achieve a full complete race to validate the championship starting the first lap with winds in 15 to 17 knots, that by the second lap the average increased and gust already were above the 20 and by the third lap it was a constant 25+ knots with several extreme gusts to a point that the back of the fleet didn't fly the spinnaker on the downwind, they got the worst situation.

All the Soling anyway performed well under such conditions, a few boats with mishandling broached, but all recovered as expected.

Amazing to many experimented sailors who decided not to face the harsh conditions see NOR 112 helmed by Brage Henriksen sailing with Pedro Brandt and Andreas Auen, two fearless kids who just left the Opti school to race at the Soling class with owner Andreas. They proved seamanship while before rounding the leeward mark a pin from a schroud went for a swim and they had to sail in one tack until they managed to use a screwdriver and tape to fix the schroud in place, tack back and proper round the mark to finish the race in 13.

The fourth race was necessary and crowned NOR 156 Anders O Pedersen, Kjell I Heigberg and Alexander Ringstad who showed consistency, proper handling of the Soling having extra speed and knowing the wind pattern of the area.

NOR 131 helmed by Kristian Negaard sailing with Tron Solli Saether and Joachin Nordle finished second and last bronze medalist of the class NOR 124 helmed by Hermann Horn Johannessen sailing with son Cesar and brother Lars Horn Johannessen, the team being the third best Norwegian became the winners of the Rien Segaar Trophy, this achieved over the Dutch fleet who could not score less than the Norwegian.

The team from NOR 156 takes home the Danish Perpetual, the Swedish Perpetual and the SCK perpetual.

The Young trophy donated by the British Soling Association was won once more by NOR 141 helmed by August Austfjord (30) sailing with Orjan Flo (43) and Daniel Faerre Flo (18), they secured the victory at the first dowind of today where GER 77 helmed by Leopold Bergk sailing with Hagen Rueffert and Max Bergk broached and falling from a 7th or 8th place to finish 13 missing the trophy by 2 points.

FRA 208 helmed by Marc Lefevre sailing with Francois Gambeoud and Karin Filmon end up granting Karin the Reloaded Trophy after securing a 12th finish today. Karin wins the trophy ahead Elena Strauch, Marietje Dijkstra and Anne-Martha Ingeberg.

The next European Championship will be held in Berlin next May 9 of 2027. The next continental championship will be the North American Championship from October 4th in Annapolis, USA.



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