Valtteri Uusitalo also beat Kaarle Tapper, who was chosen as Finland’s Olympic representative, in January at the World Championship regatta in Adeleide, Australia.
Valtteri Uusitalo sailed the ILCA 7 class European Championship gold in Athens on Friday and at the same time grabbed the first medal in his career for adults.
Born in 2000, Uusitalo’s gold might have come as a surprise to the general public, but not to him.
– I am really, really happy with the performance. It’s great to see that hard work is being rewarded. I wouldn’t say that the victory came as a surprise, because when I went here, I believed in medal chances. I knew there was potential for a medal, but it requires a certain kind of success, and that came true in this competition, Uusitalo commented to Urheilu.
The victory tasted especially good after challenging years.
– There were small-scale challenges with my own health, I was sick a lot and I didn’t get such a good and desired training period in the last few years to do what I would have liked, Uusitalo opens.
A nerve-racking race
The conditions at the EC regatta in Athens were not the easiest.
– This was one of the most mentally challenging races I have sailed in. Did we have three or four days when we couldn’t race at all because of the light wind. It’s mentally quite nerve-wracking. But I’m really happy that I was able to keep the main body together.
The Finnish sailor started the last day in fifth place.
– I was in a really good position in light of the points. Considering the conditions, the last day was relatively challenging. I didn’t think about the result, but I tried to get the best possible performance out of myself and today it was enough to win.
Despite the EC gold, Uusitalo will not be seen at the Paris Olympics. from ILCA 7 class Finland’s Olympic representative was named in December Kaarle Tapper, who sailed to Finland in August to land in Paris. Tapper was 18th at the World Championships in The Hague, Holland.
Each country can nominate only one representative in each category.
Kaarle Tapper did not compete in Athens, as he is already focusing on the Paris Olympics. Instead, in January at the World Championship regatta, Tapper finished 32nd. Uusitalo was 19th as the best Finn.
– Of course, it makes you think, and I would have wished that I had been at the Olympics myself. But the Olympic Committee thought it best to make a relatively early decision on who will be sent to the Olympics. According to them, that was the best way to make a decision, let’s respect that. It is a decision to live by.
Friday night’s Uusitalo is dedicated to enjoying the EC gold.
– Today we are enjoying ourselves with our teammates and coach. Then we take a moment to relax and then put on the work gloves again and get to work!