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Competitive Sailing

ÅBSS encourages participants to engage in competitive sailing and to invigorate the Finnish classic sailing culture.

Late 2025 races in which ÅBSS will participate:
24–27 July: Airisto Classic Regatta – Baltic Classic Master
2–9 August: International 8 Metre World Cup 2025
15 August: Sinebrychoff Challenge 2025
30–31 August: BS Classic Regatta 2025

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The World's First All-Female 8mR Team from Finland to the World Championships

The team's official captain is Selma Valjus (27)/ÅBSS, who has collected experience, success, and championship medals in dinghies, ORC, and classics. She leads the project together with Martta Soini (26)/ÅBSS, who shares a similar competitive sailing background.

The timeline for assembling the team was exceptionally tight — but not impossible. The criteria were also strict, as this is a World Cup event. For helm, they've secured Viivi Moisio (22)/ÅBSS, known from the 6mR class and a sailor who's already circled the globe.

The rest of the team includes:

• Kaisla Jacoby (22), also from the 6mR and OGR scene,

• Niki Blässar (30), who has been involved in Olympic campaigns and won major international medals,

• Emma Seppä (28)/ÅBSS, who holds multiple national medals in the 6mR class, and

• Anna Aulanko (22)/ÅBSS, a highly experienced classic boat crew member.

These women have more race starts than many men twice their age!

What's also notable is the youth of the crew: every member falls into the 22–30 age range, making this definitively a youth team!

Follow the ladies' journey here:
👉 https://www.instagram.com/sailingl8dies?igsh=MXF1Z3Zqam15ZW1keQ==

And the 8mR World Cup here:
👉 https://www.8mr.org/world-cup/2025/home