GKSS Women’s Team Wins Swedish J/70 Sailing League Round in Långedrag

ByStuart Johnstone

(Långedrag (GKSS), Sweden)- The Göteborgs Kungl Segelsällskap (GKSS) warmly welcomed the Allsvenskan teams and the public to this year’s second round of Allsvenskan Sailing on June 13-14 in Långedrag. The races were held directly outside the pier at the GKSS harbor, and the fleet enjoyed great sailing close to shore.

The conditions were highly variable, ranging from 2 m/s to 8 m/s and from sun to rain. On the first day of sailing, it was Oxelösunds Segelsällskap who did the best; they had a 2-point lead over Saturday, when they were ahead of Stenungsunds SS and KSSS.

On Sunday, there was significantly more wind, during which, among other things, the strong-wind favorites Halmstads Segelsällskap did well, and Stenungsund continued to do well.

After the preliminary round, it was Stenungsunds SS that led, ahead of Halmstad and KSSS. In fourth place was GKSS, fifth was Ljungskile, and sixth was Ekerö BK. After the thrilling final in Kalmar in the previous round, where the final teams were completely inverted in the results list, everyone knew that anything could happen in the final.

The final in Långedrag was also really exciting. Stenungsunds SS received a penalty in the first round at the rounding mark, and Ljungskile went really well, leading after the first lap. Halmstad was in third place, and GKSS was second, meaning that at that point, Halmstad was the winner of the semi-final.

During the last run, Ljungskile led ahead of GKSS, where both were planning forward on the left side. After a little problem with the gennaker, where Ljungskile lost its planing, GKSS came and rushed past, won the final, and also the semi-final, when they ended up on the same points as Halmstads Segelsällskap but won on better position in the final.

Martina Carlsson was the helmsman of the GKSS team, and her entire women’s crew, including Amanda Ljunggren, Hanna Gaskell-Brown, Klara Utterström, and Hedvig Hedström, sailed together in the Beyond Racing Team on the Women’s Match Racing tour, where they are currently in third place in the rankings.

Martina talks about the final run: “On the last run, we made a perfect gybe on the layline and surfed around Ljungskile, and it felt incredibly nice. I think it’s the cooperation we have, sailing together on the Match Racing team, that helps us know what to do. Everyone knows their positions, and we know how to talk and make the boat go fast. It feels incredibly fun to come in as a full girls’ team and to win on home soil!”

Behind GKSS, it was Halmstads Segelskapp in second and Stenungsunds Segelskapp in third place.

In the overall series standings in Allsvenskan 2026, the leaders are:
1. Stenungsunds SS
2. GKSS
3. Ljungskile SS
4. Oxelösunds SS
5. Halmstads SS

The next round is in Örnsköldsvik on August 28-30, 2026.

Sailing photo credits: Daniel Stenholm

YouTube sailing videos:
Saturday- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-XYJsDxigc
Sunday- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqxySfJaeY

For more Swedish J/70 Sailing League information
https://www.allsvenskansegling.se/