For the first time in many years, the Norwegian venue of Arendal and its inimitable atmosphere hosted again an UIM Offshore titled event, with four powerboat classes on the schedule.
Featuring the longest and most powerful boats, the 3D class was dominated by the vastly experienced Serafino Barlesi and Tomaso Polli in the Blu Banca Victory boat (D-20). With two race wins in Arendal, the Italo-Monégasque has secured the Offshore 3D World Championship title before the last event in Cervia, Italy, in one month from now. Marcus Johnsson and Jussi Myllymäki in their new Skater boat (D-101) finished second on the overall points of Arendal, followed by Fabio Magnani and Mario Cosma in the CN Crosera D-88.
Also run under World Championship status but this time on a single event in Arendal, the open cockpit 3B class had an impressive starting grid of 15 boats. From Race 1 to Race 3 of last Saturday, a hard-fought competition took place between Thomas Braaten and Trond Tidemann in B-03 (Norway) and the brother/sister team of Adam and Mathilda Wrenkler in B-6 (Sweden), from which B-03 eventually emerged as the winner. The battle for the UIM bronze medals was equally disputed, and Rasmus Hamren and Madeleine Samuelsson from Sweden in B-32 narrowly prevailed on the B-57 team of Oline Nordli and Andrine Goderstad (Norway).
And it was not the end of the celebrations for the Braaten Racing Team. Jan Trygve, Thomas’ father, went on to win the 3C European Championship in Norway. Braaten, who was one to watch for the top spot on the podium with his collection of 15 UIM medals and experience in the highly competitive Offshore World XCAT Series, did not disappoint with two race wins alongside Swede Filip Eriksson in the cockpit. Andre Strand and Charlotte Andersen in C-30 (Norway) finish second ahead of the C-58 of William Soderlind and Jonathan Rindar from Sweden.
In the European Championship for the 3J class, Viveka "Vicky" Vapaavuori and Alex Johansson in J-22 took the best on the J-10 of Pål and Siggurd Uppstad, the Norwegians who’d won the 3J World Championship earlier this year in the Larvik Grand Prix of Norway. Alvin Lindhal and Silje Moen Knutsen with J-23 round off the podium.
Pictures: Fotograf Christoffer Olsen, Joakim Carlström
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