The City of Stockholm will see an impressive line up for the start on 8 July
when teams of two will be competing on Formula 18 catamarans in the longest
and most extreme orienteering sailing competition in the world. During four
intense days and nights the sailors will pass by more than 25 checkpoints
scattered on islands in the vast Stockholm, Åland and Finnish archipelagos
(more than 100,000 islands).
Some of the biggest names in various disciplines in the world of sailing are
competing. Kingfisher's superstar Ellen MacArthur will be racing the Hobie
Tiger 18 "Omega".
Two years ago, the multihull specialists Franck Cammas and Steve Ravussin
won the Archipelago Raid (pilot edition) and later on that year finished on
the top step of the podium of the Transat Jacques Vabre. A good "warm up" in
the Nordic Archipelagos...
The British ocean racing couple Neal and Lisa McDonald (Neal skipper on ASSA
ABLOY and Lisa skipper on Amer Sports Too in the Volvo Ocean Race) were
third in last year's edition and will be back this year.
Last year's winners, the local boys Klas Nylöf and Magnus Woxén (Volvo Ocean
Race, Cape to Rio on ex Lakota etc), will defend their title on "Team
Sogeti".
Other top competitors include:
- World class match racing specialist Björn Hansen with Björn Österberg on
"Team Jobman Workwear"
- Sweden's "Sailor of the Year" 2003 Helena Darvelid, with a background as
crew on "Lakota" with Steve Fossett, and on "Sun Allianz" with Tracy Edwards
for the Jules Verne Trophy. Darvelid will co-skipper with Hobie Cat
specialist Pia L'Obry, who will be the first Swedish female to compete in
the Mini Transat (September 2003).
See
http://www.archipelagoraid.com 
