Europe Class Finland, 9.2.2024 at 11.00 am
Tapio Lehtinen, famous round-the-world sailor, is the official patron of the Europe Class World Championships 2024.
He is currently sailing the Ocean Globe Race 2023 with his young team, and plays a crucial role as a role model and inspiration for young sailors.
The Europe Class World Championship will take place in Hanko from July 23 to August 3, 2024, organized by Hangö Segelförening (HSF) and Europe Class Finland (ECF). Tapio Lehtinen has committed to being the official patron of the event.
For Tapio Lehtinen, sailing and the oceans are not just passions; they are a life mission. Known as the first Finn to solo circumnavigate the world without stopping, he’s currently undertaking his fourth global journey in the Ocean Globe Race aboard the classic Swan 55 Galiana, with one of the youngest crews in the race.
Close to Tapio’s heart is the protection of the seas as well as the transfer of Finnish sailing expertise to the next generations.
– I want to support meaningful activities for young people and the continuity of sailing sports. I also want to promote innovations and activities to protect the Baltic Sea and the world’s oceans, and enable them to remain diverse and vibrant from generation to generation. I want to bring up these themes as a patron of the World Championship in Hanko, Lehtinen says excited.
Up to 150 sailors from ten countries are expected in Hanko for the Europe Class World Championships
– We are very pleased that Tapio Lehtinen has promised to be the patron of these World Championships. His strong passion for sailing and his dedication to protecting our planet are common themes for us, which we want to bring up in the World Championships as well, rejoices Juha K. Laurila from Europe Class Finland.
The Europe Class dinghy is one of the most popular light boat classes after the Optimist. It is a one-man, single-sail and very light fiberglass-hulled, relatively advanced dinghy. Many successful Finnish top sailors, such as Sari Multala, Thomas Johansson, Kaarle Tapper and Oskari Muhonen have started their careers in this technically demanding class.
Success is also expected in the upcoming home World Championships.
– Events like this are important for the sailing community and I look forward to seeing top talents competing in the waters of Hanko next summer, states Mikael Lindqvist from sailing club HSF.
There are currently around 40 actively competing Europe Class sailors, aged 15-50, in Finland. Europe Class Finland offers the opportunity for a sustainable, lifelong and fast-paced sailing hobby for goal-oriented competitors as well as enthusiasts who enjoy being together.
Škoda is the main partner of the Europe Class World Championships.
More information:
Juha K. Laurila
Europe Class Finland
phone. +358 50 483 6348
juha.laurila@europeclass.fi
Mikael Lindqvist
Commodore, Hango Segelförening (HSF)
phone. +358 40 568 7745
mikael.lindqvist@pp1.inet.fi
Meet you at Vene 24 Båt fair in Helsinki!
Europe Class sailors and representatives of the Europe Class Finland association will be happy to tell you more about the boat, sport and competition at the Vene 24 Båt exhibition: stand 7m151, near the sailing harbour.
See also:
https://www.tapiolehtinensailing.fi/
https://hsf.fi/fi/kilpailut/europe-class-world-championships-2024/
www.hsf.fi
https://www.europeclass.fi/
