The power and strength of «Leviathan»

At the 1,000 mile Nord Stream Rase offshore Baltic race, Russian yachtsmen gathered almost all of the first prizes. «Leviathan» won in the overall standings, in coastal races, and became the champion of the last stage of the Helsinki-Saint Petersburg offshore race, sharing first place on the podium with the Danish team.

However, the eighth Nord Stream Rase is already history. Someone accepted congratulations, while others made conclusions to take into account errors for the future.

The awarding ceremony for the finalists of the regatta took place on July 5. Leviathan«»arrived to the solemn event at the Rumyantsev mansion in St. Petersburg in full staff, with friends and families. Before awarding the prizes, the team leaders - Vadim Yakhinson, Maxim Titarenko and Mikhail Sheremetyev - told the itBoat correspondent about the brightest and most memorable moments of the regatta.

- With the determination of the first place in the last stage of offshore racing, there was both curiosity and confusion. Who, in your opinion, deserves first place?

- Maxim Titarenko: We decided to give first place to the Danes, we are not sorry. As for the offshore, the Danes are good here, they are stronger. (It is noteworthy that Danish yachtsmen from Leviathan«»also appreciated very highly, saying about our guys that the Russians were initially higher on the head, and their victory is deserved -itBoat).

- Vadim Jachinson: It was a dramatic race! The fact that it was necessary to walk at 25 knots of wind speed already added spice. First we were in the lead, then we were in fifth place. We considered that we had broken the rules and made a 360-degree turn. After that we were in the fifth place, we had to start anew. We managed to catch up with almost all the crews, except the Danish team. Then we saw the Danes who came first, but right at the finish we were 10 seconds ahead of them.

There was such a strange situation: the finish vessel was not quite in the position, which is indicated in the racing instructions.

The Danes, who came to the finish first, did not cross the finish line, they did it only after us. Cleanly according to protocol, the second ones, but they didn't agree with that, so they objected to change their result. As a result, the judges made a Solomon decision: first place - two!

- Team Leviathan «is a»newcomer to this race. Who determined the strategy, and what was it like?

- V.Ya: The most experienced Mikhail Sheremetyev is a skipper and our tactician, Titarenko and I are helmsmen. At the stages of offshore, we changed.

- MT: Both tactics and strategy were great.

Misha has so many circuits in her head that she has something to choose from, the team just has to apply it all in a moment.

We had a great time in the coastal race, it's really our horse. We were counting on a prize place in the overall standings, we planned to perform well in the port races, but in the offshore there were doubts.

- Mikhail Sheremetiev: The strategy was to quickly orientate yourself in the atmosphere, feel the opponent and get the maximum experience of sailing on a large yacht, no one has ever raced a Swan before. We relied on coastal racing as the team had very little experience of offshore racing, although some of the team members participated in landmark regattas such as Rolex.

- How so: first time on type Swan - and in championship?

- VYA: It's a credit to the whole team. The difficulty is that there are many good yachtsmen, but that doesn't mean they will make a good team. We formed a team about five years ago when we decided to race in Europe on speed boats. In that time, we've got a guy on people. The basis of «Leviathan» is our crew, which we race on Melges 20 and G 70. The others are our friends, acquaintances.

Anyway, as a team, we're close people, we're friends.

The main crew of 10 people, but the award will be all who went at least part of the offshore stage, about 20 people, all honestly.

- Leviathan on these boats is a rookie. How was the race?

- VIA: Yeah, we can get a clean slate. This racing yacht is made of modern materials (carbon plus composites), very obedient, responsive. It is a pleasure to drive such a boat. Of course, it is designed to eat and sleep, but inside - everything is very ascetic, everything extra removed. There is a fight for weight. We slept on the floor, on sails, rather modest conditions of existence.

- Sailing is so versatile, you have to think a lot and work with your hands, such a rare combination in life...

- MT: It is also very important to look at things from the observer's perspective sometimes. Disconnect from emotions. I got these thoughts from the books of Eckhart Tolle. This, firstly, helps to concentrate, and secondly, helps to stay in stability, not to worry too much after failures, and also not to rise up after victories. I constantly work on it.

It'll pass, and you'll stay with yourself.

- The hottest moments of the regatta?

- Vya: There were a lot of them. With such strong wind, which was in the last stage, and in the penultimate... The boat often lost control, it's broaching, all yachtsmen know what it is. The boat has to be caught all the time, creating a very large heel.

In the final stage, one of the crew members almost went overboard, even the rescue vest opened.

I had to catch it literally. We managed to hold on to it, though it was almost completely in the water, but held on to the school. At that moment, the speed was about 20 knots, a man's hand would just break off if he held on to the school for more than five minutes.

- What are your plans?

- The National Sailing League is up ahead!

P. S. Last year Levifan «»won these starts, winning the right to participate in Nord Stream Rase. Will there be a double?