From Lars Linder – all pictures by F18 Sweden
The Spring Raid 2026 will be remembered for a long time to come.
This year’s destination was Huvudskär, the iconic lighthouse station perched on a small island at the outermost edge of Stockholm’s southern archipelago. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful spots in the archipelago, Huvudskär offers dramatic scenery, abundant birdlife, and a collection of historic buildings, including the old Customs House where we spent the weekend. There is no mains electricity or running water on the island, although charging a mobile phone is still possible. Landing and hauling the catamarans onto the rocky shoreline can be a challenge when conditions become lively, but the reward is well worth the effort.
The sailing delivered everything one could hope for. The first start was given on Friday afternoon in moderate breeze, providing excellent racing conditions. As the wind faded during the final leg to Huvudskär, the fleet resorted to towing for the last stretch before settling in for dinner and a late evening ashore.
Day two was an entirely different affair. With winds often above 20 knots, it was full-on rock ’n’ roll sailing. Hour after hour, the teams powered through the archipelago at average speeds of around 15 knots, enjoying exhilarating conditions and long, fast reaches.
Day three brought what sailors often call champagne sailing: a perfectly steady 12 knots breeze under bright skies. Conditions were so benign that some crews even joked about cleating the gennaker. There is something truly magical about covering mile after mile through Stockholm’s outer archipelago in these conditions, surfing effortlessly from island to island.
After four races, Linder/Brunnberg claimed overall victory with an impressive scoreline of two race wins and two second places. Busck/Wetterling secured second place on 12 points, while no fewer than three teams finished tied on 15 points. Westergren/Ekefalk took the final podium position on best positions. All seven participating teams agreed that the event had been a resounding success.
With the Spring Raid concluded, the boats were left in Sandhamn, where attention now turns to the Swedish Championship on 6–7 June.
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