A whole series of changes will significantly change the format of the Nordic region's longest and toughest sailing event. The 2023 edition is heading towards a top international event in ocean racing.
Garmin Round Denmark Race 2023 is going to change significantly in several ways. Among the very big changes will be when the race in 2023 introduces participation by the ORC Club measurement rule as an option. This means that among the participating keelboats there an overall winner will be awarded.
- After this year's race, we have made several evaluation rounds. The first took place in Aarhus immediately after the race. Here there were several participants who expressed a desire to sail by a measurement rule. We listened, and now we are going to try it in 2023, says Morten Brandt from Shorthand ecm.
The open Danish ocean racing championship
He goes on to say that they are currently working with the title "Winner of the Open Danish Offshore Challenge".
- We don't have it quite in place yet. It may also be that we use "The Open Nordic Offshore Competition". After all, the event is already an international event with the participation of up to 10 different nationalities. When we choose an all-around winner after the ORC Club, it makes good sense to use one of these titles or a third, he says.
The participants must obtain a valid ORC Club certificate, which they must use on registration from the 11th of November, or no later than 14 days before Raceday on 3 August.
It will of course still be possible to sail according to the adventure sail racing categories, where the boats are divided into classes according to length LOA. Here, category winners will be found and awarded and finally Line Honors winners will be awarded.
Grand Depart start
The next change will be that all boats start at the same time. On the offshore course on Thursday 3 August, on the inshore course on Saturday 5 August. Following the French model, it will be a Grand Depart start, where all boats start at the same time on one long starting line, which is divided into sections. This is in stark contrast to the two previous editions of the GRDR, where starts have been made on different days at different times with the aim of getting boats to the finish line at the same time for a closing party.
- We have recognized that the Garmin Round Denmark Race is the longest sailing race in the Nordics. With 650 and 760 nautical miles, it is not possible to get the boats to the finish line at approximately the same time. That is why we have chosen to turn things upside down, so that we get a bang from the start with many boats on the line and with good traffic past the two Garmin Fly By buoys just outside Aarhus International Sailing Centre, says Jon Koch Hansen from Sailing Aarhus.
And he is complemented by Thomas Capitani from Aarhus International Sailing Center.
Skipper's Meeting before the start
- This also means that we are renaming the After Party to the Pre Party. The party will be before the start. This way we get a get together with dining and skipper's meeting on Wednesday afternoon/evening in Esbjerg and Friday afternoon/evening in Aarhus. We therefore hope that all of Wednesday in Esbjerg and especially all of Friday in Aarhus as well as part of Saturday will be a unifying event, where participants and sponsors will have the opportunity to look each other in the eye, talk about tactics, equipment, routing etc., while the atmosphere builds up before docking out and start, says Thomas Capitani.
High expectations for 2023
The title sponsor Garmin Danmark has been an important part of the entire work with the new format for the Nordics' toughest sail race. And no wonder expectations for the 2023 edition of the event are high.
- We are happy to be part of the Garmin Round Denmark Race again in 2023, and we look forward to the new initiatives and not least the new start dates in August, as we hope that this will open up to even more possible participants. Denmark is a fantastic country for sailing and everyone deserves to experience our beautiful coasts. We also hope that this is an event that can inspire many newcomers to try real offshore racing, says Christine Jaeger from Garmin Denmark.
The official event regulations 2023 have been upload - take a look at them