Rasmus Maalinn C20 Crowned 2025 European Champion

by Deb Whitehorse | Feb 27, 2025 | 2025, Home Page

Photo: Gilles Morelle. Facebook Page

RESULTS
The 2025 European Championship has a new name for the trophy: Rasmus Maalinn C20 of Estonia. At under 30 years old, Rasmus has achieved a remarkable feat in the world of ice sailing, becoming the first European champion under 30 since Poland’s Michal Burczynski P114 claimed the title in 2004 at the age of 23.

This year’s regatta, held at Lake Pyhäjärvi in Säkylä, Finland, was exciting to follow thanks to live tracking. Waking up early or catching the reruns was well worth it for fans. The Gold fleet tracking replay links are available below, letting you relive the action.

Despite tricky conditions—”plus temperatures” (above 32°F for North Americans) and wet ice—the organizers managed an impressive 12 races in the Gold fleet, and 10 so far in the Silver and Bronze fleets. A huge shoutout to the team for their swift result tabulation, keeping everyone updated without delay.

The regatta opened with a nod to experience, as Poland’s Karol Jabłoński P36—a seven-time European champion—won the first race, setting a high bar for the competition. But Rasmus soon took charge, dominating with 7 out of 12 race wins in the Gold fleet.

Poland’s Michal Burczynski P114 took second with four race wins, showing his lasting talent more than 20 years after his own under-30 win. Fellow Pole Łukasz Zakrzewski P155 rounded out the podium in third with a solid performance. Congratulations to Michal and Łukasz for their excellent showings in a tough field.

Rasmus’s rise began in the junior ice sailing ranks. His name first appeared  in the IDNIYRA yearbook as the 2014 Ice Optimist Champion, and he went on to claim five DN Junior Championship titles. Now, as an adult competitor, he’s brought that success to the continental level.

Rasmus is the first sailor outside Poland and America to win the European Championship since Germany’s Bernd Zeiger G107 in 2010, ending a 15-year streak held by Polish and American sailors.. He joins an elite list of Estonian champions, including Endel Vooremaa, Vello Kuusk, Matti Kuulmann, Vaiko Voorema, Ain Vilde, and Tiit Hagmaa. Many North American competitors will remember having met Rasmus at the 2019 World Championship in North America where he placed 7th in the Gold fleet.

Although the Gold fleet has its champion, the Silver and Bronze fleets remain uncertain. As of now, it’s unclear whether they’ll race tomorrow, Friday, February 28. Currently, Finland’s Oscar Lindell L132, is leading the Silver fleet, and Lithuania’s Antanas Gerasimavicius T4, is leading the Bronze fleet.
UPDATE: The European Championship has been called completed. Congratulations to all participants!

Explore more in the IDNIYRA Continental Championship History.
Live Tracking Links:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5