Team Pro4u and Skipper Patrik Forsgren Clinch Victory in the Toughest Gotland Runt in Years
September 13, 2023
Sandhamn – The 2023 edition of the renowned sailing race Gotland Runt will forever be remembered as one of the toughest in recent history. As the guest harbor in Sandhamn fills up with boats, it becomes evident who has conquered the challenging weather conditions the best. The overall winner of this grueling race is Team Pro4u, led by skipper Patrik Forsgren. Widely regarded as the world’s best ocean racing sailors among amateurs even before the start, Team Pro4u has firmly solidified their reputation.
According to Forsgren, the most challenging part of the race was the last stretch towards Hoburgen, where strong winds tested their skills and perseverance. “It’s always a mental challenge when you’re so close to the finish line, but it still feels incredibly far away. We also managed to break the speed record on board, reaching an impressive 21.2 knots,” said Forsgren, clearly elated with the victory.
While Team Pro4u emerged as the overall victors, other classes in the race also saw intense competition. In the SRS A class, Wetjob, skippered by Niclas Heurlin, claimed the victory. Double Handed class was won by Figaro 3 Tutalör, with Christian Harding and Joakim Hoppe as the winning team. Tutalör finished ahead of J/121 Jolene by an impressive margin of 1 hour and 11 minutes.
Harding expressed his team’s hard work and determination, stating, “We had to use various strategies and fix many issues on board, but with hope as our guiding force, everything fell into place. Despite the cold and windy conditions that made us question our choices, the experience has been nothing short of fantastic.”
The Multihull class saw an impressive performance by the 84-foot catamaran Allegra, which crossed the finish line ahead of all other competitors on Monday. The Gunboat 48 Dancing Bear finished later on Tuesday, securing the second position in the class.
Team Pro4u, consisting of Patrik Forsgren, Thomas Tennström, Anders Björk, Emil Alnebeck, Emil Forsgren, Peter Thorwid, Zacharias Krafft, Roger Nilson, and Linnea Floser, emerged victorious in the ORCiB class as well.
As the remaining boats continue to navigate the challenging course, it is evident that none of them will be able to surpass the accomplishments of the winners. Gotland Runt 2023 has proved to be a true test of skill, endurance, and determination for all participants.
Overall Winners:
Team Pro4u – Patrik Forsgren (Skipper), Thomas Tennström, Anders Björk, Emil Alnebeck, Emil Forsgren, Peter Thorwid, Zacharias Krafft, Roger Nilson, and Linnea Floser.
Class Winners:
Multihull:
Allegra – Rob Grimm (Skipper), Warwick Kerr, Paul Larsen, Jonny Malbon, Tim Marsh, Jorge Alvarez, Drew Nickless, Scott Gray, Ryan Barnardo, Adrian Keller, Carl Hennix, and Helena Darvelid.
Double Handed:
Tutalör – Christian Harding (Skipper) and Joakim Hoppe.
SRS A:
Wetjob – Niclas Heurlin (Skipper), Martin Kjellström, Per Öhrstedt, Stefan Karlsson, Dan Franzen, Per Skoog, Tomas Persson, Björn Sandberg, and Dag Gustafson.
SRS B:
Valkyria – Göran Ricking (Skipper), Helena Frank, Jonas Eriksson, Mikael Eriksson, Per Englund, Mikael Höök, and Wilhelm Suneson.
SRS C (at the time of writing):
Valkyria – Johan Nordström (Skipper), Michael Herre, Annie Nordström, and Jan Swartling.
ORCi:
Magic Mix – Patrik Björklund (Skipper), Filip Larsson, Hans Holmqvist, Konrad Törnqvist, Jon Arnell, Lovisa Arnell, Urban Nyhammar, Elin Björklund, Hanse Thorslund, and Odd Lindqvist.