In a year of remarkable achievements for Polish sailing, the WindWhisper 44 yacht has added another milestone to its list of triumphs. Competing under the banner of the Yacht Klub Polski Gdynia, the team secured a historic victory by clinching the gold medal in Class B at the ORC World Championships held in Kiel, Germany.
This achievement follows the team’s recent accomplishments, including a bronze medal at the ORC European Championships in Malta and a gold medal at the Polish ORC Championships in Sopot. The crew’s aspirations were high, openly expressing their dream of maintaining their winning streak during the global competition. Their determination paid off as they met and exceeded their goals.
The competition in Kiel spanned six days, commencing on August 7th. The championship format comprised three types of races: coastal, up-and-down, and a long offshore race. The WindWhisper 44 emerged victorious in five out of the ten races, including the pivotal offshore race, which contributed significantly to their overall success.
Skipper Marcin Sutkowski attributed the achievement to the team’s excellent tactics and hard work aboard the yacht. He expressed his pride in the crew’s performance, highlighting their blend of experience, youthful energy, passion, and a fresh perspective that contributed to the victory. Sutkowski also credited the remarkable intuition of navigator Aksel Magdahl, whose unique insights into weather conditions played a pivotal role in their success.
The gold medal in Class B marked a historic moment for Polish offshore sailing. The WindWhisper 44 crew, comprising Marcin Sutkowski (skipper), Aksel Magdahl (navigator), Robert Gwóźdź, Stanisław Bajerski, Kacper Gwóźdź, Piotr Przybylski, Joan Navarro Guiu, Mateusz Gwóźdź, Afonso Domingos, and Hugo Rocha, showcased their exceptional skills and teamwork.
The final standings for the ORC World Championships in Kiel, Class B (out of 29 yachts classified) were:
- WindWhisper 44 (Marcin Sutkowski/Poland): 13.5 pts,
- Sirena (Peter Buhl/Denmark): 21.5 pts,
- Katariina II (Aivar Tuulberg/Estonia): 34 pts,
- Intermezzo (Jens Kuphal/Germany): 37.5 pts,
- White Shadow (Torkjel Valland/Norway): 49.5 pts,
- DIXI 4 (Erik Stannow/Denmark): 59 pts.
The remarkable victory of WindWhisper 44 serves as a testament to the growing prowess of Polish offshore sailing and the dedication of its skilled sailors.