Finally on day 2 of the SSL Gold Cup Brasil 2026 European Qualifiers, the Belgian Sea Devils, Lithuanian Ambers, Norwegian Norsteam and Serbian Eagles got out on the race course.
It took two attempts to start the first race. On the second attempt, with a left shift in the final minute before the gun, Lithuania managed to cross the fleet on port before winning the committee boat end and were the first team to start, albeit 11 seconds late.
At the finish Rokas Milevicius and the Ambers consolidated their advantage, powering downwind at 15 knots to the finish line ahead of Eivind Melleby and the Norstream, while Emma Plasschaert’s Sea Devils and Tihomir Zakic’s Eagles had an almighty battle for third, with Belgium coming out on top at the final gybe.
In race 2 Lithuania won the committee boat end, while Belgium came out best at the pin, with both teams bang on the line this time.
Belgium encountered a problem with their spinnaker hoist leaving Serbia and Lithuania to battle it out for the win, with the Ambers managing to sail a slightly deeper line and regain the lead, choosing their gybe position and collecting their second race victory.
Meanwhile, Belgium had recovered from their poor spinnaker hoist and caught Serbia as the Eagles gybed with their spinnaker hitting the Sea Devils rigging. The Umpire’s flag was raised, so Serbia had to complete a penalty turn before finishing, allowing Norway to come through to finish third after their earlier spinnaker problems, relegating the Serbian Eagles from first to last in the final leg.
It was again a cautious start by the fleet in race 3, with Belgium having to peel away at the pin end, misjudging their approach, and Norway getting their nose ahead of Lithuania and Serbia as they powered away on port tack. Belgium were left nearly 200 metres behind.
The final downwind leg saw the Norwegian team looking over their shoulder at the Lithuanians, with Eivind Melleby trying to stay calm as they approached the finish with their lead reducing by the second. The yachts converged neck and neck, with Lithuania putting in a late gybe and being pipped to the win by just two seconds. Belgium couldn’t quite close the gap on Serbia, having to settle for fourth.
This leaves Lithuania leading on 11 points, with Norway just 2 points back, then Belgium on 6 points with Serbia on 4.
Lithuanian helm Raimondas Šiugždinis says the comprehensive broadcast is going to be very useful in the team’s debrief, especially in finding the high mode upwind which teams like Belgium have discovered: “We will look at the video and see what they’re doing. We couldn’t go so high, but we are fast.”