MidsummerSail: Is the Knierim-Multi “Nica” on course for a record? “It’s going to be a real close call!”

​Lots of calm and just a glimmer of hope: Team Nica is battling to set a new record at the MidsummerSail from Wismar to Töre. The time to beat is 4 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. It’s now clear that it’s going to be a close call.

​Six men have been pushing the Knierim multi-hull ‘Nica’ to its absolute limit ever since the start of the MidsummerSail on 20 June at 1.45 pm. They set off, Mathias Müller von Blumencron’s four-year-old record set in his former ‘Red’ to challenge. The Class40 completed the longest Baltic Sea regatta – covering around 900 nautical miles from Wismar to Töre in 2022 – in 4 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. The record has stood ever since.

One more night: ‘Nica’ in the final stretch of MidsummerSail

The “Nica”, which currently holds a commanding lead in the MidsummerSail, would need to cross the finish line by 8:52:46 am on Friday morning (26 June) to equal the record. Any second sooner would set a new record. However, the wind conditions during the current 11th edition of the Baltic Sea Marathon have made things difficult for the current record chasers. Hopes of a new record are no longer high – but they haven’t been dashed just yet.

"It’s going to be really tight.” Michael Höfgen

“Nica” navigator and strategist Michael Höfgen is part of the team led by skipper Gorm Gondesen. Knierim partner Steffen Müller, Tim Kunze, Till Eggert and Sven Jacobsen make up the crew on the bright green, fast-sailing multihull. The high-performance cruiser, designed by Roger Hill, was launched by Knierim in 2022. Its two hulls are constructed using a carbon-fibre sandwich structure.

Multi-hull record within reach for “Nica”

By Thursday lunchtime, during the MidsummerSail, these vessels had already taken the team as far north as Umeå, just under four days after the start of the race from the southernmost to the northernmost point of the Baltic Sea. At around the same latitude – but travelling by road on land – race director Robert Nowatzki was heading towards the finish port at the same time on Thursday lunchtime. “We’ve still got about four hours’ drive ahead of us. We’re going to break the record,” said Nowatzki with a wink.

The organiser of the Agora direct MidsummerSail said: “The wind will improve a little more for ‘Nica’, but they’ll still have to tack as soon as they enter the fjord. With a bit of luck, it’ll be a close-hauled run. Michael Höfgen is part of the crew.” He was the first to turn in there last year with his ‘Lightworks’ "and knows where things get tight."

If “Nica” doesn’t manage to break the course record across all classes, the team could still go for the multihull record at MidsummerSail. That record is currently held by “Flaneur” – also since 2022 – with a time of 5 days, 38 minutes and 16 seconds. That would mean the “Nica”, which is a good 19 metres long, wouldn’t arrive until the afternoon.” Either way, the mood on board “Nica” is one of positive anticipation. “The calm zone really slowed us down. We’ll see… The atmosphere on board is great, and so is the food. We’ll know more after tonight.”

A quiet MidsummerSail, sailing within sight

Three withdrawals and one team taking a break highlight the rather low-key nature of the eleventh edition of MidsummerSail, which last year was a wild one too experienced. “It’s also interesting that the field is only now slowly beginning to split. There were two large groups that stayed together for an incredibly long time; around Stockholm, they could see each other,” says Robert Nowatzki.

According to the creator and organiser of the Agora direct MidsummerSail, one of the event’s special features is the diversity of the competing boats combined with the length of the course. “With its ever-changing conditions, the race shows what a boat is truly capable of. It’s like carrying out a whole series of boat tests in a real-world environment – it’s simply fascinating to watch,” says Robert Nowatziki.

Meanwhile, at the finish port of Töre, preparations for the finish line crossings are already underway. Harald Libuda and Daniel Lewin had sailed ahead there on the “Passatempo” from the Spandau Yacht Club and have already hoisted all the flags. Having previously volunteered at the MidsummerSail, they are once again supporting the race this summer at the finish port of Töre, where the participants head for the famous yellow buoy.

A LOOK BACK! The MidsummerSail speed records, which still stand today, were set in 2022. Here’s the clip: