World Cruising Club (WCC) has announced today that the planned 2022 edition of ARC Baltic will be cancelled. Due to start in early July, WCC regrets the disappointment that this decision will bring to the current participants, but feel that an early decision on running the rally, will be preferable to last-minute disruption or cancellation.
Once again, world events have further impacted the running of the six-week summer cruise, which was postponed in 2021 due to the pandemic. The rapidly developing situation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine increases uncertainty and anxiety for cruising in the Eastern Baltic, and as the visit to Saint Petersburg was always the highlight of the itinerary, not being able to include the stopover will significantly detract from the rally experience. With this backdrop, WCC do not feel it is appropriate to continue with the planned schedule for 2022, with significant risks of delays on a tight itinerary, last-minute changes, and insurance complications likely to impact the participant’s enjoyment of the rally.
All registered participants have been informed of the decision and fees refunded. As it is unknown how long instability in the region will last, WCC will continue to assess the feasibility of running the rally in 2023 and provide an update on the next edition in September 2022.