From 8-15 June the 8th Ust-Luga Cup international sailing regatta took place on the Baltic Sea. This competition for amateur yachting enthusiasts, which coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the Ust-Luga port, was first held in 2012. Over the past seven years the Cup has come a long way, turning from a regional sectoral tournament into an international sailing event.

Participation in the regatta has become a fond tradition for Morstroytechnology. This year, twelve yachts set sail on the course, although according to our participants the impression was that there were only eleven teams, it was just that the large Morstroytechnology team took two yachts onto the water: the Tuule and the Premium.

The competitors were divided into three groups. After six races, the crew of the Tuule secured second place in their group behind the FSUE Rosmorport team. The Premium beat all the other competitors in the second group – the combined team of the Ministry of Transport and the Maritime Register, and the team fielded by Estonian Railways.

Competitive events were held onshore as well as on the water. According to an established tradition, one of the ports on the route – this year it was once again Helsinki – the «Golden Spoon» culinary contest was staged as part of the regatta.

The Morstroytechnology team's idea was to retrace the daytime races on an original, edible breadboard. Rounding the turn-signs, egg-based boats with paté and crisps sailed over the blue paper sea. The drinks, which served as distance markers, merit special mention: they were shots of an original and delicious cocktail called «Rusty Buoy». The small, homemade, meatfilled puff-pastry pies completed the picture: they were made by the team themselves, onboard their yacht.

The regatta left the competitors with a whole host of emotions and impressions, and we will need more time to collect them all together and describe them properly. But soon we will publish an account of how this year’s event went for our team.