Raiding in the Stockholm Archipelago

With history beginning in 2001, the Stockholm Archipelago Raid also was the F18 Raid World Championship in 2022. Held August 17-21, 29 teams competed in a mix of sport, nature, and adventure in the perfect F18-playground; the stunning Stockholm Archipelago.

It is the largest archipelago in Europe with 36,000 rocks, skerries, and islands and the most difficult one for navigation. There are still islands and groups of islands where no sail race has ever passed due to their remote location and because part of the year they are bird or seal protection areas. It offers limitless possibilities for exceptional courses between the check points on islands, bouys, light houses, or beaches.

Beginning outside KSSS harbour in Saltsjöbaden, two or three legs are scheduled each day with the fleet racing between 50 and 100 nm each day depending on the winds. Since all sailors eat, live and share an adventure together for a couple of intensive days, the raid is a very social event, even if the competition is also present during races.

After five days, crisscrossing thru the Stockholm Archipelago the 29 F18 catamarns finally reached the finish in the middle of Stockholm. It was a close fight all the way in, between Patrick Demesmaeker/ Olivier Gagliani from Belgium and the Swedes Jakob Lundqvist/ Rasmus Rosengren with the Belgians taking the gold. – Results