Arcano wins 5.5 Metre Austrian Open after idyllic final day on Traunsee
by Robert Deaves 25 Aug 18:21 UTC
22-24 August 2025
Arcano (AUT 24, Dirk Harms, Eugen Kossina, Paul Christian Laherstorfer) has won the 5.5 Metre Austrian Open, incorporating the Salzkammergutpreis, after the third and final day on the Traunsee brought the best conditions of the event with warm, blue skies, a steady thermal breeze and two beautiful races to end the event.
No Stress (GER 124, Jorg Sonntag, Margit Deinzer, Oliver Weiss) ended up second with Sunrise (AUT 25, Christoph Holzinger, Klaus Zeman, Michael Praxmarer) making a late charge to end up third.
Local knowledge can play a key part of these regattas, but the only local knowledge in the morning was that there was too much cloud over the mountains to develop a thermal breeze. Luckily that was wrong as by 12.00, at the first sign of the breeze developing, the fleet was sent out and sailed two races in a northerly thermal of 6-10 knots and warm, sunny weather, a stark contrast from the previous days.
The fleet was unsure which side was paying in Race 4 with boats on both sides. Sunrise went left and rounded first from Wasa V who went right to the shore and rounded second. Wasa V took the lead downwind and led to the finish from Sunrise with Arcano making gains on the second upwind to follow down in third.
Into Race 5, and what was to be the final race, and again Wasa V favoured the right-hand shore and was rewarded by a march on the fleet round the top. They gybed away downwind while most went to the right but still led at the bottom. However, on the second upwind they consolidated back from the right too early and allowed Arcano further to the right and when they came back together Arcano had a clear advantage and led down to the finish in the still increasing breeze. Wasa V crossed second with Sunrise in third.
However, line honours here mean nothing with the Moderns, Evolutions and Classics all rated to even up the passing years. In winning overall, Arcano took the Salzkammergutpreis and the Austrian Open for Evolutions. No Stress won the Modern title and Aurelia the Classic title.
The Union Yacht Club Traunsee were the perfect host again, with their picture postcard panoramic view over Gmunden and the top end of the Traunsee.
Overall Results: (five races)
1. Arcano (Evolution, AUT 24, Dirk Harms, Eugen Kossina, Paul Christian Laherstorfer) 5pts
2. No Stress (Modern, GER 124, Jorg Sonntag, Margit Deinzer, Oliver Weiss) 11pts
3. Sunrise (Evolution, AUT 25, Christoph Holzinger, Klaus Zeman, Michael Praxmarer) 12pts
4. Wasa V (Modern, AUT 66, Stephan Holzinger, Michael Bernhard Fischer, Peter Farbowski) 13pts
5. Aurelia (Classic, AUT 5, Martin Burger, Jurgen Lappi, Georg Praxmarer) 14pts
6. Unicorn (Evolution, GER 39, Hanna Kahl, Johannes Bandtlow, Valentin Lohner) 22pts
7. Belladonna II (Evolution, AUT 16, Edmund Berndt, Klaus Mittermayr, Markus Auinger) 24pts