Feel the spirit of Pori

Open Snipe European Championship
Pori, Finland August 20-25
– 10 Facts and figures, tips and links

By Kai Saarhelo

Hi all Snipe Friends!
Have you already visited snipeeuropeans.org web site and FB site Snipe Europeans 2018 and checked the latest news. Don’t worry, summary can be found here.

SCIRA Finland and the hosting Yacht Club BSF are glad to invite all Snipe friends to the Open 35th Snipe European Championship and 20th Junior Europeans. Jr regatta will be sailed in same starts and during same days as Open Championship. In this article you can find tips, tricks and the latest info why and how to get in Finland and spend there one week you hopefully remember the rest of your life.

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Facts about Finland

Ranked as one of the safest place to travel in whole Globe, offering top education system for children, eight largest country in Europe with 188.000 lakes and 98.000 islands but only five and half million citizens, celebrating last year 100 years independency Finland certainly have something to offer also for international Snipe sailors. Since 1947 almost a thousand (975) Finnish Snipes have been registered in SCIRA files. Once we calculated that over 20.000 sailors have sailed Snipe at least once in Finland. In addition Snipe Class is ranked still the biggest two-handed-dinghy-class in Finland. So the Class is very much alive and kicking, and ready to host the great Europeans event.

Facts about Pori, Yyteri Beach and Regatta centre

– What makes it attractive to come to Finland

In 2006 the YC BSF had a chance to organize the Europeans for 54 boats with warm cosy atmosphere during race week – exactly in the Spirit of Pori. Now in 2018 we want to make it even more memorable. Fantastic open sea conditions close to the race centre, distance to next shore in Sweden is 100 NM away. Typical sea breeze from south-west or north offer waves ideal for long surfs and fantastic sailing conditions. We can say it loud and proud; clearly best racing area in Finland.

What is new compared to EC2006 event. Well, first of all, regatta activities are now concentrated in Yyteri Beach holiday resort – only in walking distance. Everything can found in one spot: race office, boat park, accommodation services, after sail activities, amusement for family and other team members who are not joining us at sea. Yyteri offers 5 km long sandy beach, actually the longest in whole Nordic region, offering great chance for jogging, biking, swimming, windsurfing and horse riding, not to forget adventure park Huikee. Area is also famous for bird watching with interesting nature paths. Accommodation services such as hotel, summer cottages and camping area are located in area. There is a specific EC Snipe rate for participants in Yyteri hotel but also in city centre hotel 20 km away. Check the booking details on website.
And if you wonder how to scope with sandy shore, don’t worry. We have tested the sandy conditions during 2017 Finnish Nationals. Shallow shore for the first 100 m filters biggest waves even in strong winds, clear marks show where the deep water starts, towing rope to get out and back safely after the races. It works perfectly well. And the distance to racing area is only 1-1.5 NM. You just wake up, have breakfast and start racing!

Steps to Europeans

If you have not yet done the decision to participate, now is the high season to do it. The deadline for registration is July 1st. Check your boat according to Europeans instructions with your local measurer and the process in Pori is much smoother. The regatta organizer has got nice discounts for travelling and hotel services. Our ferry partner Finnlines offer 25% discount for ferry connection Travemünde (GER)-Malmo (SWE) and 40% discount for Kapellskär (SWE)-Naantali (FIN). Map of ferry connections in Baltic Sea and possible routes can be found also at snipeeuropeans.org site in Competitor info. The recommended and probably the cheapest route to arrive in Finland from South Europe is to book the above mentioned ferry connections and drive through Sweden to Kapellskär, 80 km above Stockholm. Then 150 km drive to Pori. More detailed instructions and links for ferry bookings as well as some other alternative and tested routes can be found at snipeeuropeans.org site.

Join the Nordic Snipe spirit

We all know the big Snipe fleets in South European regattas. For an international sailing class like Snipe it is very important that several countries are alive and kicking, also in North Europe. Therefore, we strongly wish that also you can participate the European Championship event in Finland. The opportunity to host Europeans here up North definitely boost Snipe Class in the whole region. You are warmly welcome to support this boost.

Welcome

Swinging Snipe sisters Mirja-Liisa and Hanna-Leena as well as the whole organizing committee wish you, your team members and families welcome to Pori!

By Kai Saarhelo