Silverrudder 2018: Four class wins for German skippers in the strong wind solo

Henrik Bøje Hansen left nothing to chance. He was back at the finish line shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday as First Ship Home. The Quorning Boats employee beat the previous best time in the large multihull class by almost an hour on a Dragonfly 28 Performance. However, he left the return transfer this morning to his colleagues.

"I have almost no strength left in my arms," he told YACHT online after getting a few hours' sleep on the boat. "When I got up, I had a cramp in my legs from supporting myself in the cockpit." He was also impressed by the rodeo ride in other ways: "The gusts were extreme, really extreme! They came out of nowhere like a downdraft," he reported. "I had to constantly cast off the sheets and pull them tight again." The swell in the Little Belt also demanded his full attention. "That was brutal. That the boats could withstand that...!"

Danish photographer Mikkel Groth used his camera to capture what Henrik Bøje Hansen had to endure at the exit of Svendborg Sound. His pictures show the Dragonfly trimaran briefly losing contact with the water with all three hulls in the very steep wave. A vivid documentation of the extreme conditions that prevailed for almost half of the 134 nautical mile course. They had already led to numerous accidents, groundings and rammings during and shortly after the start - and to controversial discussions about the responsibility of a solo race in the near-shore area.

Initial estimates put the damage at several hundred thousand euros. However, according to information so far, no sailors were seriously injured; there were only minor injuries and scratches. The number of finishers also shows that the course was perfectly sailable, even for some very small boats around and under eight metres in length.

One of the top favourites, the one-off "Black Maggy", which was extended from 32 to 40 feet especially for the Silverrudder, initially looked like a sure-fire winner: first across the line, first under the bridge and then on and away. But Wolfram Heibeck, who had designed, built and skippered the boat, decided to turn north of Lyø in winds of more than 40 knots in gusts. "I had already set myself that limit beforehand." Just as he was furling the main, his carbon mast broke. Anyone who knows him knows that he will be back.

This gave Bernd Petrick his chance, who took Wolfram Heibeck's place to win the L class. German skippers took a total of four group wins and five further podium places. Below are the placings in 1st to 3rd place; you can find the overall results here here.

Keelboats up to 25 feet

1. Patrik Heinrichs, T-24 "Jynx", GER
2. Harald Müller, Platu 25 "Honk", GER
3. Ulf Dinesen, Maxi 77 "Nanok", DEN

Keelboats up to 30 feet

1. Hans Genthe, Farr 280 "4sale", GER
2. Freddy Ejler Kristensen, Solus Alta "Altanativ", DEN
3. Finn Dordel, X 79 "Xanthippe", GER

Keelboats up to 35 feet

1. Jonas Hallberg, JPK 10.10 "Hinden", GER
2. Erik Jørs, 11 Metre One Design "Petrulla", DEN
3. Matthias Bröker, One-off "Pyleia", GER

Keelboats up to 40 feet

1. Bernd Petrick, JPK 10.80 "Milou", GER
2. Felmming Andreassen, Luffe 37 "Avantgarde", DEN
3. Anders Hohansen, Dehler 36 db "Dehlfin", DEN

Keelboats over 40 feet

1. Pål Stiansen, XP 44 "Born to Run", NOR - New record: 19 h 9 m 59 s
2. Stig Wittrup, First 40 "My Way", DEN
3. Peter Wrede, Hanse 470 "Peppermint", GER

Multihulls up to 25 feet

• No boat at the finish

Multihulls over 25 feet

1. Henrik Bøje Hansen, Dragonfly 28 Perf. "Lanzelot", DEN - New record: 15 h 13 m 28 s
2. Jens Thuesen, Dragonfly 35 "Skagerrak 3", DEN
3. Herbert Schueler, Dragonfly 920 Extreme "Cayenne", GER