CYCA Member Linda Goddard’s Swan 53 Bedouin has won the 630 nautical mile 2026 RORC Baltic Sea Race overall under IRC after one of the toughest editions in the event’s short history.
The Australian-flagged yacht also claimed Monohull Line Honours, in an elapsed time of 3 days 14 hours 19 minutes 48 seconds, and victory in IRC Division One.
The third edition of the race from Helsinki, around Gotland and back to the Finnish capital, delivered a severe test of boats and crews with heavy seas, relentless headwinds and the Baltic’s notoriously short, steep waves taking an extraordinary toll. Of the 24 boats entered, 17 retired from the race.
Goddard, who had three of her daughters – Leila, Ella and Zoe – on board with her, said it was a tough but rewarding slog.
“Crossing the finish line brought an enormous sense of relief,” Goddard said.
“Everyone was cold, tired and thoroughly wet, but there was also a huge feeling of achievement.
“For me personally, the race also reinforced what an extraordinary crew I have. They worked tirelessly throughout the race.
“Winning line honours, and IRC was the cherry on top of the cake!”
The first half of the race was a huge challenge with changing weather forcing the bulk of the race’s retirements.
“As we approached the first mark in Sweden, the wind shifted further south, which unfortunately meant that instead of the reach we had been looking forward to, we faced another long beat towards the southern tip of Gotland,” Goddard said.
“In the end, the first 350 miles of the race were entirely uncomfortable, wet, upwind sailing. Bedouin is a 54-foot, 24-tonne Swan, and her size and weight meant that we were able to handle the conditions relatively well.
“Rounding Gotland was a huge relief. We finally hoisted the A4 and, for the first time in what felt like days, enjoyed faster and considerably more comfortable sailing.
“Around midnight 2.5 days into the race and just minutes before we were preparing to change from the A4 to the Code 0, a chain link in the steering system broke and we suddenly lost all steering with the A4 still flying and the wind building towards 30 knots.
“We managed to get the sails down quickly and began emergency repairs while trying to keep the boat under control. After around two hours of work, we were able to restore the steering and resume racing, with approximately 200 miles still remaining to the finish. “From that moment, our approach to the race changed completely. The priority was no longer to push Bedouin as hard as possible, it was simply to finish safely.
“We had established a substantial lead, the temperature was dropping rapidly as the wind swung into the north, and everyone was cold and tired. We sailed the final miles as conservatively as necessary.”
