Andy Denison visited the venue for the 2023 Masters in May 2022. Here is his report...

Although we raced from the town of Kavala in 2015 I felt it was necessary to visit the new location of the 2023 Finn World Masters, the fishing town of Iraklitsa.

In summary: Great hospitality, great facilities and a warm, enthusiastic, big welcome awaits us from our friends in Greece. It was pleasing to see how much they have embraced the needs of the Finn Masters.

Iraklitsa is located around 20 minutes drive west from Kavala. As you venture out of Kavala you really do see the proper Greece, quant fishing villages, unspoilt towns with limited influences. Iraklitsa is one of those, a lovely fishing village/town with an unspoilt marina extending on to 3-4 km of sandy beach, with a backdrop of taverners and small bars, so typical of Greece.

The town has two large supermarkets just behind the proposed event centre, where you can get everything you need if you are planning on camping or Airbnb.

Food/Drink. Bar and tavernas line the waterfront and offer great value, with a number of different traditional dishes, but mostly the lovely Greek locally sourced fish and meats together with the most amazing salads and deserts await your consumption. Try the traditional Ouzo with ice as an accompaniment and the local wines. In the back streets and the neighbouring villages you can also find those little gem tavernas. 

The sailing club is a migration from the old Kavala sailing club, which ceased action a couple of years ago. It is proposed to host the event from the beach side parking area with registration in what I call ‘the blue building’, the property is raised up and provides a great spot for hosting the event activities with measurement and jury based in the grounds of the premises. There will be coffee and refreshments around the premises, together with the beach side.

Trailers and cars can all be stored at this central location; we are spoilt with the room available to the Finn sailors. Please ensure that sailors travelling outside Europe or entering Greece through a non European country, must prepare all the proper documents for customs clearance.

The Finns will be located on the vast hard standing parking area next to the beach, small ramps will be in place to allow the sailors to launch from the shallow sandy beach. There is no anticipation of waves and launching is easy to manage.

Portable toilet facilities with ample fresh water, boat wash down hoses, together with fresh showers will be installed at the dinghy race park.

Camping/motor homes. It doesn’t get any better. The camping is on the edge of the dinghy park with some electrical hook ups and a chemical disposal facility, the views and location for camping is excellent, being right in the hub of it. Tent pitches will be available in the camping site Paradiso (with charge) adjacent to the event area. There will be a small charge for the camping and motor homes.

Transportation. There are two airports to consider: Thessaloniki and Kavala. Thessaloniki has more flights and is located around 1.5 hours distance (145 km) from the town of Iraklitsa, the organisers are keen to assist and may ask for flight arrival times so they can organise transportation. However, regular bus services to Iraklitsa are around €50 (includes taxi from airport to bus station). Kavala airport is around 30 mins, again, organisers will look at picking up with a reduced rate. Taxi is around €75 from Kavala airport. Car hire or mini bus hire is also, naturally an option.

Weather. My visit to inspect the venue was around 22 May and the temperature during the day reached 27°C, while the sea temperature was at around 17°C. This is typical at this time of year and looks promising for the regatta

Containers. These can be collected from Thessaloniki (there will a charge for the transfer to Iraklitsa) these can be lifted and stored at no charge close to the venue, enabling you to come weeks earlier, if you wish. The club has encouraged this and will welcome you with your requests.

Car travel. The preferred routes from the west are: ferry from Ancona or Bari in Italy to Igoumenitsa in Greece. It’s then a straightforward five hour drive to Iraklitsa along a superb road.

Ladies/Partners Programme. The ladies are going to love this place with the beach and restaurants and the gorgeous surroundings – the sailors are going to have some happy partners. One of the other attractions for the sunworshippers is the free beach sunbeds and umbrellas, (all they ask is you buy a coffee or so from the café owner) and who wouldn’t.

Ladies programme:

Monday: visit to a vineyard to sample the local wines, Red, white and rosé, followed by a typical Greek lunch. The perfect start to the week and a chance to meet.

Friday: For those who love a local market, a trip is organised to visit the market in Kavala.

Options: Should a small group wish to visit any of the ancient sites or the isolated beaches, this can be arranged at an extra cost, depending on the numbers. The OA has also offered a trip together with food and beverages, out onto the race area at an extra cost; further details to follow.

Please note that there will be additional small costs for trips/excursions and partners tickets for the Masters Dinner.

Safety. A number one priority is safety, which the organisers have embraced. There will be on shore medical assistance on standby and it’s noted that the hospital is 10 min drive.

NOTE FOR SAILORS The OA are very keen to welcome sailors or visitors at any time of the year. Those travelling from the southern hemisphere may wish to transport their boats and use the facilities for training or just to enjoy the Greek hospitality. 

Download past editions here.

The 2022 edition of the  Finn Masters Magazine has been published, feature David Terol, from Spain, launching off a wave during the ludicrously finntastic 2021 Finn World Masters at Los Alcázares, on the Mar Menor.

It is just a few weeks away from the 2022 Finn World Masters in Helsinki with more than 130 Finn masters eager with anticipation for the annual landmark event, so a perfect time to release this annual publication highlighting the activities of those old enough to know better.

As well as a round up of all the 2021 activities and what is in store for 2022, this magazine also looks forward to some spectacular venues over the coming years. If you ever thought of joining the Finn masters for an event or two, there is a lot planned for the coming years to suit every taste.

In an extended interview with Filipe Silva, from Portugal, the 2019 Finn European Masters champion, and runner up in Los Alcázares, he talks about the many opportunities for the class as well as his new Finn Sailing Academy in Vilamoura. He discovered, just by word of mouth, that there is an insatiable desire to go Finn training in the European winter, and has been insanely busy setting up the centre, running week long clinics, as well as chartering his fleet of boats for the major events.

Finland’s Kristian Sjöberg came back to Finn sailing in 2016 and ‘has not been able to shake it off ever since’. He talks about his journey in the Finn and what it means to him, as well as looking forward to what the next year’s can bring. Subsequent to the interview, he was recently elected as Vice-President Sailing if the International Finn Association.

The magazine also includes all the usual reports, updates, calendars and news.

It can be read online here: https://issuu.com/finn-class/docs/finn-masters-magazine-2022

Or downloaded as a PDF here: https://finnworldmaster.com/world-master-magazine/about

The arrangements for the 2022 Finn World Masters in Helsinki are in the final stages with well over 100 boats registered and with sponsorships and social events taking shape.  

On Monday 4 July the City of Helsinki will host a drinks party on the island Särkkä which is located right in front of the city centre (pictured below). This island was the location of the 1952 Helsinki Olympics prize giving ceremony and we will be using the original podium for a small prizegiving as part of our drinks party. Sailors can stay there afterwards to have dinner at the restaurant Särkänlinna or take the short ferry trip to the center of Helsinki with its many restaurants.

Picture below is from the Olympics 1952, from the racing area right outside Särkkä island, the location of our drinks party on Monday.

Throughout the regatta there will be free beer and pasta after the racing at the hosting club. The beer is being very kindly be sponsored by Sinebrychoff, a Finnish brewer founded in 1819, while the pasta will be prepared and served by HSK Blue Peter restaurant. 

The regatta dinner on Wednesday 6 July will be held on Blekholmen, the home harbour of NJK (Nyländska Jaktklubben) one of the oldest yacht clubs in Finland (pictured below). Blekholmen sits in the middle of the south harbour of Helsinki so you will be close to any venues you might decide to go to afterwards. The clubhouse is an amazing old wooden building dating from 1900 and is full of treasures and heritage. It’s location offers unique views across the city and is definitely a must visit place in Helsinki.

Andy Denison, Finn World Masters President commented on the preparations, “I for one am really looking forward to visiting Helsinki for the first time, which coupled with the unique heritage of this year’s anniversary of the first time the Finn was sailed at the Olympics means this year is definitely one not too miss. I know the organising team have been making a huge effort to make this a special event, which coupled with Finnish hospitality will make this an event to remember. It’s the first time we have gone to Helsinki and I think it’s going to be rather special. I look forward to seeing you there.”

The FWM has been kindly supported by the City of Helsinki, by various government departments and some private donors, making it possible for us to ensure a splendid 70-year celebrations of the Finn class’ Olympic debut in Helsinki in1952.

There is still time to join in with the fun – entry is still open until May 15.