Less lead time is not possible. In less than three weeks, on the weekend of 21 to 23 August, the Lyø Escape - best translated as "short holiday" or "flying visit to Lyø" - is due to start.
The fun regatta, which Morten Brandt wants to expand into a major event in the future, will only take place on a limited scale due to the coronavirus; no more than 20 crews will be able to take part. Enough to test the concept in a kind of pilot event. German participants are expressly and warmly welcome.
Unlike the other regattas for which the Dane has become internationally renowned - namely the Silverrudder Challenge as the world's largest single-handed regatta and the Vegvisir Race, which is also well on the way to becoming a record event - the Lyø Escape is primarily intended to be a social event.
The sporting part will take place on Saturday and Sunday until the early evening - with an as yet unspecified but definitely unusual regatta course. However, the competition on the water will end at 5 p.m. at the latest, when the culinary and relaxed part of the format begins, which is deliberately intended to be holiday-compatible in future - for example as an integrative aspect of a multi-week cruise in the Danish South Sea. The Lyø Escape is therefore aimed more at cruising sailors than regatta sailors, although no-one is taking this too seriously.
Incidentally, the idea didn't come from Morten Brandt himself, but from one of the Vegvisir pioneers who first started up in Nykøbing-Falster three years ago: Anders Kraft. He performed admirably on the 230 nautical mile course in the initial two-handed race in 2017 with co-skipper Morten Davidsen and his old Aphrodite "Kaffe". Kraft is now the landlord of Lyø Kro, the only pub on the small Danish island. And because he prefers partying at night to scrubbing over flax, he wanted to combine sailing and partying in some way.
If things go as well as with the other events that Morten Brandt organises, it is not impossible that Lyø will become a magnet for dozens, if not hundreds, of cruising yachts and their crews once a summer in a few years' time. Let's see. Something like this is really missing in the Baltic Sea. And hopefully the coronavirus pandemic will also be overcome at some point.
If you want to experience the premiere of the Lyø Escape: Click here for the website where registration will soon be possible. And here's a short YouTube teaser video with information about the idea behind the fun regatta.
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
