The countdown to the 10th solo marathon around Funen has begun: The Silverrudder celebrates its anniversary edition

Denmark's cult regatta Silverrudder is celebrating its anniversary this year. The starting shots for the tenth edition of the solo regatta around Funen will be fired on Friday at 10 am. 439 experienced helmsmen, amateur skippers and adventurers have registered for the classic race. The participants are divided into seven divisions: Keelboats Small, Mini, Medium, Large and Extra Large as well as in the multihull groups Small and Large. The German participants once again make up the largest contingent of starters with 61 per cent, followed by the hosts with 28 per cent. For its tenth edition, the popular classic has attracted participants from 14 countries to the attractive Danish north of Europe. One day before the start of the solo sailing rally, the pretty harbour of Svendborg was so full that you could almost have crossed it on dry land. "We are ready," said regatta director Ole Ingemann Nielsen on Wednesday evening when welcoming the first sailors streaming into the event hall. As always, the mammoth organisation of the Funen Festival under sail is in the hands of the experienced regatta director and his dedicated team from Svendborg Amatør Sejlklub.

Among the handful of participants, Olympic silver medallist Susann Beucke is the best known. The 30-year-old is celebrating her Silverrudder premiere in the mini field with a Seascape 18. "I'm looking forward to the wind and lots of fun," announced the helmswoman from Strande near Kiel, who wants to expand her sea sailing activities in the future and is aiming for a professional career. Susann Beucke recently competed in the Kiel Week Welcome Race with Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia and supported the team in action at the 127th edition of Germany's oldest and largest regatta week. In Svendborg, the Baltic 500 fathers and organisers Cord Hall (Seascape 24 "mind.blown") and Rasmus Töpsch (JPK 10.10 "Sharifa") are also preparing for the race around Funen. The goal unites them both: "Arrive!"

Graduate meteorologist and weather forecaster Sebastian Wache from Wetterwelt, this year's expert for the Silverrudder Grand Prix, has promising news for the participants of the anniversary edition: "We will have good sailing conditions. On the morning of the start, there are still influences from the low-pressure area Roland, but it is slowly receding. At the same time, the high pressure area Jenny will return. Basically, the atmospheric conditions will become more stable. A few showers are still possible. So it won't be completely dry, but the wind will remain. We are not in the core of the low pressure area and not in the centre of the high pressure and I expect north-westerly winds at the start. The wind will quickly shift to the north and north-east as the low pressure system moves away. We are expecting 15 to 20 knots initially, so moderate to very good sailing conditions." Click here to go to the Silverrudder homepage, where the results will also be published after the race (please