Three boats, one team, and a week of racing. Hankø Race Week has been a long favorite on the Norwegian sailing calendar, a blend of competitive one-design racing, stunning scenery, and strong community on and off the water. In 2025, NTNUI Sailing brought one of the biggest student team representations to the event, fielding three Melges 24s and a total of 15 student sailors, with three additional students crewing aboard a Half Ton class boat.

For a university club to show up in force like that, at a national-level regatta, says a lot about where student sailing is headed and how much this team has grown. But instead of telling you how it went, we’ll let them take the lead.

Hankø Race Week 2025 – NTNUI Sailing Summary for Ullman Sails

Dear Ullman Sails,

This June, NTNUI Sailing participated in the traditional Hankø Race Week on the southeastern coast of Norway with three Melges 24 teams—NOR 402, NOR 527, and NOR 592—bringing a total of 15 student sailors to the event. Additionally, three of our sailors crewed a Half Ton class boat.

The regatta week began on Wednesday with sunny weather and rigging of the boats. Thursday brought strong winds that kept the fleet ashore, but we enjoyed a social event by a local sailor family for food and drinks, where we got to meet other young sailors and the rest of the fleet.

Friday delivered perfect racing conditions with sun and steady 7–8 m/s (13–15.5 knots) winds. Four races were completed! NOR 527 unfortunately had to retire after the first race due to a technical issue with the running rig. The evening was spent enjoying a barbeque at the cabin we stayed at for all NTNUI sailors.

Saturday offered another beautiful day with 6–10 m/s (11.5–19.5 knots) wind and two races sailed. Unfortunately, NOR 402 had to return to shore after a forestay issue. After racing, we derigged the boats, had dinner at the cabin, and participated in the prize ceremony and prize-giving party. Team NOR 592 finished 9th of 17 boats in the overall Melges 24 standings, with NOR 402 and NOR 527 falling behind due to missed out races.

Despite a few setbacks, the week was a huge success. It was a highly social, fun, and valuable experience for our student sailors. We're incredibly grateful for the reliable performance of our Ullman sails and the vital support from NTNUI’s main board. The weekend brought the students closer and we got some new focus points for our trainings in the next semester.

Thank you once again for your continued support.

Best regards,​​​​​​​
NTNUI Sailing

A race week like this isn't just about results, it’s about resilience, team work, and being keen to learn.

August Hanevik’s crew on NOR 592 showed just how fast these students can be, finishing 9th overall against some of Norway’s top teams. And for Guro Gjesdal and Liv Cornelia Middelthon, the setbacks were handled with a team-first focus. They stayed involved, supporting each other, and getting ready for what’s next.

With Hankø 2025 in the books, NTNUI’s sailors walk away with far more than a results sheet; they leave with shared memories, better teamwork, a stronger program, and a clear direction for future training. Ullman Sails is proud to support student sailing at this level, and even prouder to see the sails doing what they’re made to do.

photos Rachael England