Cruising and racing with LUPI

The fine thing about sailing is that the same boat can hold so many memories – and it can be sailed in so many ways.

And even though a Hallberg-Rassy 43 might sound like a boat choice pointing more towards the cruising scene rather than racing, it has not kept Bjørn Børresen from Norway in covering lots of miles cruising and exploring Northern Europe – as well as racing the Fastnet Race.

- Sailing has always been a part of me. I first picked up the sport with the A-Jolle, which then led me to sail the Optimist. Today, I am 68 and have sailed countless different boats through the years. Lately – that’s the last ten years – I’ve had my Hallberg-Rassy 43. The 43 came with a nice set of Elvstrøm Sails made from Dacron, and as time progressed, I have upgraded the sails to fit my passion for shorthanded sailing and racing, Børresen says.

The work and fine tuning has been done in close cooperation with Elvstrøm Sails Norge, with the idea of a new sail concept on the Hallberg-Rassy 43 to make it lighter, faster and more agile for fast cruising and indeed racing.

And also, to make it a better fit for calmer conditions, where the original sail setup would struggle to produce the speeds Børresen wanted.

- It was a very natural step for me to continue with Elvstrøm Sails. I got in touch with Sverre, and he has been great to discuss and find the right solutions with, Bjørn says and adds:

- It’s not a secret that the Hallberg-Rassy was made for crossing oceans. It was on the heavy side when we started, but I was keen on having a setup which was more racing-oriented, and together we found a way. The light and strong sails made all the difference, and it handles calm conditions much better - conditions, which we often have in the fjords here.

For Bjørn, sailing is more than just a passion and a lifestyle. The racing society around shorthanded and doublehanded sailing is strong. And it is a way of sailing, which fits the motto of Bjørn Børresen very well.

The idea is – and has always been – that winning is fun but so is racing with great friends. And as Bjørn also says, the social aspect is one part of it – the other is the journey and the experience in its own right.

- I first discovered shorthanded racing some 20 years ago, but my passion for sailing shorthanded goes way back. As a kid, I used to be a boyscout, so I grew up being close to nature, and to me, sailing was always the natural next step to it. It brings you to the place, where it’s just you and nature. And it’s there your personal discipline and routine makes all the difference, he says and adds:

- It may sound trivial to speculate in the ideal length of a powernap for singlehanded racing -  (it’s 18 minutes by the way!), but keeping on going, any singlehanded or shorthanded race will bring you in tune with your boat and everything around it. It’s hard to explain, but it gives me an incredible feeling. It is one of many magic aspects of sailing.

Any adventurous or sporting sailor probably has a bucket list of voyages and events to take part in. This also goes for Bjørn Børresen, who has ticked off his two main targets on the list. But the list does not stop here.

The first of two big dreams was to cross the Atlantic. The second was to do the Fastnet Race. And while the Atlantic crossing was a dream and ambition for many years, it also served as good practice for the Fastnet, Bjørn reckons:

- The Atlantic was my dream for many years, but it was also a dream my father. He never got the chance, as he did not have the right boat for it, but I said, I would take over the baton and do it. So when I finally crossed it in 2010/2011, it was not just my dream. I also had my family and career to take care of, but I was also absolutely clear about my goals and dreams – and I will never regret that I took a year’s leave from my job to make it happen.

Then came the next big thing, but it would take close to 15 years – and third time lucky. Bjørn first set out to attempt racing the Fastnet, but had to see it called off due to the pandemic. The following year, in 2023, Bjørn tried again, but had to call it off due to illness. And then – this year – Bjørn and his daughter Louisa made it through.

- This year was the first time I did the Fastnet and actually got to race…. First Covid, then illness and we were third time lucky. It was an amazing experience, and I’m so glad we did it. The sails were perfect all the way and this entire season. We have just taken them off for the winter and both we and Elvstrøm Sails Norway were impressed to see the condition they are in given how much I have been sailing this year, Bjørn says.

And what’s next? More racing!

- I don’t know what’s next. You Danes have had incredible success with Silverrudder – and I would love to do it, but LUPI is not really suited for it. But I think I’ll get to do it at some point. I am 68, and I am in no way done sailing. There will always be something to do. The new, Arctic Race from the most southern point of Norway to Lofoten is also on the cards, so there is plenty to choose from!, Bjørn ends.