Two-handed mixed world championship: 21 duos in Cowes - Rixgens/Reinke go for it

The participants in the Offshore Two-Handed Mixed World Championship will determine their finalists in two qualifying races. The respective top five will reach the final. The first overnight race starts on 23 September. And that's where the only German crew will be challenged: Lina Rixgens and Sverre Reinke will be competing for the second time since 2024.

Two-handed mixed world championship: home game for the defending champions

A year ago, the Offshore Two-handed Mixed World Championship was held in France's sailing cradle Lorient Lorient with 22 teams. The conditions ranged from 30 knots and two metre high waves to light winds or even calm. This resulted in a dramatic final leg in which the lead changed hands several times. Britons Maggie Adamson and Cal Finlayson then managed to bring their narrow lead to the finish in the final sprint. They won the title with a lead of just 65 seconds.

Will they manage a second coup on their home turf this year? The defending champions will be at the start of the first of the two qualifying races on Tuesday at 2 pm. Click here to go to the tracker of the Offshore Two-Handed Mixed World Championship after the start. The German challengers Lina Rixgens and Sverre Reinke are challenged right at the start. "As of today, we are representing Germany at the World Sailing Offshore Two-handed Mixed World Championship in Cowes," announced co-skipper Lina Rixgens on the official opening day of the title fights from the Isle of Wight.

This year, 21 teams from 14 nations from six continents will be sailing for the Offshore Two-handed Mixed World Championship title until 1 October. "After our 7th place at the 2024 World Championships in Lorient, the DSV nominated us again this year," said Lina Rixgens. The event will be sailed on chartered Sun Fast 30 OD boats, which, according to Rixgens, have been "checked down to the last detail by the World Sailing Association in order to provide identical technical foundations for all teams".

Rixgens/Reinke: very good boat and "a little" knowledge of the area

Lina Rixgens and Sverre Reinke have a Sun Fast 30 OD themselves and have logged more than 7,000 nautical miles with it. "So we know the boat very well," says Rixgens. The well-rehearsed German duo also know the area well, which was the legendary and fascinating stage for the successful Admiral's Cup resurrection this summer.

Lina Rixgens says: "We were able to familiarise ourselves with the challenging area around the Isle of Wight during the summer when we took part in the Fastnet Race. We are now very excited about the races against the best two-handed mixed teams in the world and will give it our all!" The boats for the World Championship were drawn by lot.

The crews had half a day of training on the charter boats before the qualifying race for Group 1 with Team Germany and ten other double-handed teams begins early on Tuesday afternoon. The plan is for the qualifying race to last around 20 hours and for the boats to return to Cowes on the morning of 24 September.

Dee Caffari's wind and weather forecast

World circumnavigator Dee Caffari, who is supporting the organisers with her experience, took a look at the possible weather scenario for this first qualifying race. Her forecast, which also applies to Lina Rixgens and Sverre Reinke: "For the first qualifying round, the fleet can expect a light north-easterly breeze in the Solent. Any wind with a northerly component is notoriously fickle here."

The crews really need to keep their eyes open and watch out for gusts and wind shifts." Dee Caffari

Dee Caffari continued shortly before the start of the double-handed mixed world championship: "I expect the race team to set a windward mark to pull the fleet apart before they leave the Solent. Once they are out, the conditions will get rougher - overnight the wind in the English Channel will pick up to 15 to 20 knots. This is nothing extreme, but the northerly wind will feel cold, especially on the return journey upwind. In the early hours of the morning they will then return to lighter winds in the Solent to reach the finish."

Two-handed mixed world championship: the aim is to qualify for the final

The Group 2 qualifying race starts on 25 September. Lina Rixgens explains the rest of the procedure: "The first five teams in both qualifying races can take part in the grand final race next week from 29 September to 1 October. An eleventh slot for the final can be won by the winner of the repechage race for the boats in sixth to eleventh place in the two qualifying races. The repechage of the two-handed mixed world championship will be held next Saturday. So our goal is clear: to qualify for the final!"