Scorching temperatures may be setting the rest of Europe ablaze, but conditions for the opening day of the 44Cup Marstrand were nothing short of idyllic with temperatures in the early 20s, chilled by a steady 10-12 knot northwesterly blowing in across the North Sea and the local Kattegat, separating Sweden from Denmark. Racing started on time at 1200 and while there were mixed opinions between teams over hoisting the J1 or J2, everything went according to plan.

Especially for Black Star Sailing Team.

With New Zealand’s Cameron Dunn still calling tactics, the Swiss team led by Christian Zuerrer has made a few crew changes this season and this new input is possibly further melding the crew on what is one of the newest boats in the fleet. Regardless of the reason, Black Star Sailing Team started strongly and used the left up the first beat rounding the top mark overlapped outside Artemis Racing in the first race and clear ahead in the second, and went on to win both races.

“It was a good day for us – we’ve never had two wins in a row,” commented Zuerrer, sporting his characteristic red bandana. “I'm pretty happy with the speed of the boat.”

Cameron Dunn added: “In the first race we got a nice start down the pin. It wasn’t super strong on any side, but we liked the left a little more and it felt like in the pre-start everyone was fighting for the right. But in the first two races there was a very strong left hand bend up the beat.

“The boat was going really well – it felt really comfortable and fast. This was down to Christian [Zuerrer] and [trimmers] Luke [Molloy] and Kampo [Christian Kamp].”

However they let themselves down in today’s third and final race, Dunn continued: “We were a bit more in the middle and got a bit bounced around and I made a couple of decisions I wish I could take back.”

Caught up in traffic they found themselves regularly being tacked on. Zuerrer mused: “If you're in front, it's always easier than back in the pack. But on the last downwind, we gained on the right side, where it looked like there was a little bit more pressure and managed to get back into seventh place.”

In the first two races Torbjörn Törnqvist’s Artemis Racing was up with Black Star Sailing Team and ended the day with a solid 3-2-4. Törnqvist, the 44Cup Marstrand event host, was delighted with the day: “Conditions were fantastic. It was nice to see the sun coming out, and escaping the heat from the continent. Racing was good, very tight. Our starts were great and it all feels very good. But it’s only the first day out of four.” As to whether in 14 editions this might be the first occasion that Artemis Racing wins their home event, Törnqvist is taking it in his stride. “I've been second and third a few times, but never won.

I don't really think about that so much. I really enjoy the sailing. I want to do well and if we’re first, even better…”

Local fans cheers in today’s final race when Swedish teammates Artemis Racing and GeMera Racing were first at the first top mark rounding. Artemis Racing was subsequently overtaken by Nico Poons’ Team Charisma and defending champion here Team Nika, however GeMera Racing sailed with the confidence and certainty that has caused her to be present 2026 44Cup leader and possessor of the circuit’s ‘golden wheels’.

“We were very happy, obviously, that last race,” commented tactician Francesco Bruni. They won this despite sailing the whole of the last leg with a hole in the centre of their kite. “That was bit stressful - the drop line got a knot in it and we had to cut it during the hoist. Luckily we had a big enough lead but we sailed in low mode in order not to overload the kite. Otherwise it’s been a good day. Our first two starts were average, but we had some good comebacks, so... we are happy to be in the hunt.

“On that last race, we gained a lot on the right. It was a bit of a speed race if you had a good start, so starting today was very important. The wind was so stable that if you were at the back of the fleet, it was hard to come back.”

The upshot is that after three races, four teams lie within one point at the top of the 44Cup Marstrand leaderboard, with Black Star Sailing Team first tied with Artemis Racing on nine points, with Gemera Racing and Team Charisma on ten.

As to tomorrow’s conditions, Cameron Dunn predicts: “The forecast was maybe for a knot on average more tomorrow, but it's going more around to the south. So it's going to be a very different race course - southerly, which is generally a shifty direction here. It'll be good.”

Once again racing is scheduled to start at 1200.