Only a few days after the initial launch of the new ORC International rule, the Norwegian Offshore Racing Club (NORC) has announced that ten X-41 One Designs will be lined up for next year’s ranking series under this new VPP-based rule. This year just one X-41 OD sailed in the NORC successful ranking series in Norway.

Other encouraging news for the growth and acceptance of ORC International is the new cooperation between NORLYS, the Norwegian empirical club rating rule, and NORC. These two major rating organizations in Norway have recently announced that they are planning to cooperate and will arrange joint rankings for next year’s events. ORC International will be the natural choice for the top-level division in this ranking, while the other division will be scored by a multiple numbers system to be announced later this year.

According to Thomas Nilsson, NORC Chairman, “The X-41 class will race against the other boats in ORC International division, but they will also have their separate result list and prize giving ceremony.”

In addition to the X-41 One Design class, the Farr 40 One Design class is also growing in the Nordic countries, so NORC and NORLYS have plans to include this class in one of the regattas in the new national Norwegian ranking system. To promote greater participation, this regatta will be part of the Farr 40 Nordic Circuit in 2008, while for all the other regattas in this series Farr 40’s will be sailing under ORC International.