The Finn World Masters in Helsinki, Finland was once against blessed with fantastic sailing conditions for the fourth day of competition. Current world champion, Pieter-Jan Postma, from The Netherlands put the Masters title beyond doubt by winning both races on Thursday for a clean slate so far with just one race left to sail on Friday.
 
Again, a solid wind of 12-18 knots and wall to wall sunshine welcomed the 120 boat fleet for a great day of racing. After the first race was abandoned on the first downwind due to a major wind shift the following two starts went ahead in the building breeze.
 
It seems whatever Postma does at the start, he is leading at the top and sails away from the fleet. His performance today highlights the difference between a seasoned Olympic campaigner and a bunch of very good sailors. However, they all love the fact that he is here and enjoying being part of the huge Finn family worldwide. 
 
Filipe Silva was the best of the rest on Thursday with a 3,2, though the top three remain unchanged with Laurent Hay leading Peter Peet. The Dutch team also put on a consistent display with Sanders Willems picking up a 2,9, Jan Willem Kok a 5,4 and Karel von Hellemond an 8,8. The Dutch team look set to collect the Nations Cup this week.
 
The event concludes Friday with one more race scheduled against a forecast of light winds in the morning building to 7-10 knots by the afternoon
 
Results after 6 races
1 NED 842 Pieter Jan Postma 5 
2 FRA 75 Laurent Hay 17
3 NED 148 Peter Peet 22
4 POR 21 Filipe Silva 25
5 NZL 111 Karl Purdie 40
6 BEL 7 Sebastien Godefroid 42
7 NED 80 Sander Willems 44
8 GBR 5 John Greenwood 55
9 NED 41 Karel Van Hellemond 59

Full results here: https://www.manage2sail.com/en-US/event/FMW2022#!/results?classId=e3a2d976-144c-4b91-a5f7-67f9b1c61fa2
 
More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnclassphotos

 
Racing resumed at the Finn World Masters in Helsinki, Finland, after Tuesday was lost due to high winds. Pieter-Jan Postma, from The Netherlands, again stamped his authority on the fleet with two confident race wins to extend his lead from Laurent Hay, opf France, and Peter Peet, of The Netherlands.
 
Early forecasts indicated strong winds during the day but once the fleet arrived on the race course the wind moderated to 12-16 knots, despite a quite lumpy sea, which made the racing quite challenging for some. However it turned into a great day afloat with two beautiful races.
 
Straight after the start of each race Postma was in the lead and made his two victories look easy. Behind him, the fight was on for the other places with all the other age categories wide open. Laurent Hay got the best of the rest with two third places to maintain second overall, while Peter Peet scored a 2,6 to remain in third. Postma leads the Masters category and overall with four straight wins.
 
In the other categories, Laurent Hay leads the Grand Masters, John Greenwood leads the Great Grand Masters, while Hans Fatzer leads the Legends.

Highlights from Day 3 of the 2022 Finn World Masters in Helsinki -  https://youtu.be/5_FS1dVWmBQ

Gaining the most applause at tonight’s annual Masters dinner and mid-week prizegiving, held at Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK) on the island of Blekholmen, off the Helsinki city front, was Richard Hart, from Britain, who leads the Super Legends. He received a standing ovation from the whole fleet.
 
No mid-week prizegiving is complete without Henk’s Hour, a prizegiving organised by Dutch sailor Henk de Jager in his own inimitable style. He presented the various prizes to the category leaders.
 
By the half way stage of this championship the sailors have had a bit of everything – light winds strong winds and too much wind. The rest of the week looks like light to moderate wind.
 
Joining the rest of the fleet tonight at the traditional Masters dinner were four former world champions. The current world champion, Postma was joined by Magnus Olin, from Sweden (1975), Thomas Schmid from Germany (1988) and Sebastien Godefroid, from Belgium (2001). Almost all of the Masters attended this very special occasion. Racing continues until Friday.
 
Results after 4 races
1 NED 842 Pieter Jan Postma 4
2 FRA 75 Laurent Hay 10
3 NED 148 Peter Peet 18
4 POR 21 Filipe Silva 37
5 NZL 111 Karl Purdie 41
6 GBR 5 John Greenwood 48
7 FIN 234 Ville Aalto-Setälä 58
8 NED 29 Bas De Waal 70
9 NED 80 Sander Willems 74
10 SWE 12 Stefan Sandahl 74.0
 
Full results here: https://www.manage2sail.com/fi-FI/Home/DownloadReport/event/f21210c0-03b4-4967-a9da-9f7e38affd86/report/84851343-eec8-4a85-a93d-a3148156eb9e
 
More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/finnclassphotos

Pieter-Jan Postma, from The Netherlands has opened his first ever Finn World Masters, in Helsinki, with two race wins. Laurent Hay from France is in second after twice placing second while Peter Peet, also from The Netherlands, is in third following a 3,7. There are 121 sailors from 25 nations taking part in the first ever Finn Masters event in Finland.
 
The event started in splendid conditions, sunny, warm with 6-10 knots of wind. The wind pressure varied a lot making it challenging for most sailors. In both starts the black flag was needed, and at the end of the day there are 15 BFDs on the scorecard. Some of the front runners picked up a BFD, making rest of the week difficult for them.
 
Race 1 got away after an initial general recall as the fleet had to come to terms with 120 boats on the line. Sebbe Godefriod, from Belgium, led the fleet at the top mark, but on the next beat chose the right hand side of the course and was passed by those who went up the left side. Postma took the win from Hay and Peet
 
Race 2 also got away following a general recall under a black flag and a number of sailors unfortunately paid the price including Laurence Crispin who was leading at the first mark. A good battle was had by Potsma, and Hay and Karl Purdie, from New Zealand with Postma taking a second win to complete a perfect day on the water. Hay crossed third with Bas de Waal, from The Netherlands third.
 
In the evening a ferry took sailors from club to the island of Särkkä where today's prize giving was presented by Pata with a warm reception in a garden setting. This was the location of the medal ceremony at the 1952 Olympics, the first time the Finn was used at the Olympic Games. Many sailors stood on the Olympic podium.
 
Racing continues until Friday.
 
Results after 2 races
1          NED 842 Pieter Jan POSTMA 2
2          FRA 75 Laurent HAY 4
3          NED 148 Peter PEET 10
4          NZL 111 Karl PURDIE 14
5          NED 29 Bas de WAAL 18
6          NED 80 Sander WILLEMS 22
7          SVK 1 Peter MOSNY 23
8          POR 21 Filipe SILVA 27
9          FIN 50 Freddy MARKELIN 28
10        GBR 5John GREENWOOD 28
 
Full results here: https://www.manage2sail.com/fi-FI/Home/DownloadReport/event/f21210c0-03b4-4967-a9da-9f7e38affd86/report/84851343-eec8-4a85-a93d-a3148156eb9e

Event website: https://fwm2022.com

More photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/B4X5jcPHL2YJC4ap8

Seventy years ago the Finn changed sailing history and put in its first appearance at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. To celebrate this occasion, the Finnish Finn sailors decided to hold the 2022 Finn World Masters in Helsinki and after three years of planning, it opens this weekend with around 125 sailors from 22 countries expected to take part.
 
Racing starts on Monday 3 July, while the Open Finnish Championship is currently underway, giving many competitors some valuable preparation time on Helsinki’s tricky waters. Despite many fearing cold weather, Finland is currently experiencing a heat wave with 27-30 degrees and 15-20 knots wind.
 
The entry includes a lot of new names for the Finn Masters and no recent winners. The most recent winner here is John Greenwood, from 2002, who has been training hard with Tim Tavinor, who is making a welcome return to Finn sailing. Also from Britain, Lawrence Crispin and Allen Burrell should figure well.
 
Last year’s Grand Master champion Laurent Hay, from France, is still looking for his first overall win, but will be up against last year’s European Masters champion, Akos Lukats, from Hungary, Christoph Christen, from Switzerland, and the ever strong Dutch team led by Bas de Waal and Karel Hellemond.
 
However, the new name everyone will be watching is the Belgian 1996 Olympic silver medallist, Sebastien Godefroid, who while sailing domestically, has not sailed an international Finn regatta since 2004. And while not yet showing on the entry list, it is rumoured that another Olympian is on his way to Helsinki.

Throughout the regatta there will be many occasions to remember that first Olympics 70 years ago when the great Paul Ellvstrøm won the first of his three Finn Gold medals.
 
On Monday 4 July the City of Helsinki will host a drinks party on the island of Särkkä which is located right in front of the city centre. This island was the location of the 1952 Helsinki Olympics prizegiving ceremony and the original 1952 podium will be used for a small prizegiving as part of the party. 
 
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. Blekholmen sits in the middle of the south harbour of Helsinki and the clubhouse is an amazing old wooden building dating from 1900 and is full of treasures and heritage of sailing in Finland.
 
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 to 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 am looking forward to it immensely.”
 
The 2022 Finn World Masters has been kindly supported by the City of Helsinki, by various government departments and some private donors, making it possible for the organisers to ensure an appropriate 70-year celebration of the Finn class’ Olympic debut in Helsinki in 1952.
 
Measurement and registration begin on Friday 1 July. The practice race on Sunday 2 July is followed by an eight-race series from Monday 3 July to Friday 7 July.
 
Event website: https://fwm2022.com
Entry list can be found here: https://fwm2022.com/competitors/