Ronja Grönblom and her partner Veera Hoka represent Finland at the Paris Olympic Games in the 49erFX class of sailing. Grönblom is already the fourth generation of his family’s Olympic representative.
April 25 was a significant day in the Grönblom family. Ronja Grönblom reached its match Veera Hokan with a place in the Olympic Games and Pia’s mother came to the finish line after sailing around the world that lasted more than seven months. Remembering the memorable day still brings a smile to the duo’s face.
– It was really cool and incredible that it happened on the same day! Ronja Grönblom laughs
– We reached the finish line at night and the next day Ronja and Veera made a FaceTime call. There was a lot of screaming and giggling when they announced that we had a place. The feeling was great, Pia Grönblom smiling.
At the Olympics in four generations
Ronja, who received a love of sports as a blood inheritance at the Summer Olympic Games, is making history. The Grönbloms are the first family in Finland to have had an Olympic representative in four generations. There have been only two such families in the world before. Ronja’s father Richard Grönblom has been to the Olympics in 1976 in Montreal in the Finnjolla class and in 1996 in Atlanta in the Star class. Grandfather Sven Grönblom represented his uncle by Gunnar Grönblom with Finland in 1936 in Berlin on the 8mR boat. The ranking was fifth.
– The family has a lot of sailing background. It was certainly quite easy for our parents to choose this sport as a hobby for us. It started from there, Ronja Grönblom recalls.
– When Ronja sat on her optimist for the first time at the age of six, she immediately left it to sail. Ronja hasn’t really wanted to do anything else since then, says Pia Grönblom.
– Ronja is very determined. Crazy guts. He dreams, but things don’t stay a dream. When Ronja wants something, she usually does it.
Around the world in seven months
Pia-aiti enjoys being on the water, but also in the background of the sport. According to Ronja, the parents have been appropriately involved, there hasn’t been too much advice and instructions. The mother admits that she is a hard worker, so during the games she had to come up with something to do on the side.
– Ronja’s father is focused on following the competitions, I was a competition organizer when Ronja was little. When I was organizing things, I didn’t have time to focus on doing my own child. Ronja sneaked to the finish line unnoticed, Pia Grönblom smiles.
– Not all parents have the opportunity to travel around the world with their teenage children. It’s been a really great thing together, which I’ve enjoyed to the fullest.
When Pia’s mother left to sail around the world Tapio Lehtinen skippering the Galiana WithSecure boat, it was Ronja’s turn to get excited. The sailing had a crew of 12 people and the project had been built for four years. The journey took a good seven months. With the help of the radio team, exchanging messages and sending messages of congratulations was successful both ways.
– We are close with my mother, so I wonder what it will be like when we are apart for so many months. But it went well, says Ronja Grönblom.
For ice cream in the Olympic city
Grönblom’s female duo hopes to find time for sailing trips together in the future. Pia is currently doing day sailing and Ronja’s time is spent preparing for the Olympics starting at the end of July. The sailing competitions take place on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Marseille, and the rest of Grönblom’s family can also be seen cheering there.
– This has been awaited for many years and everyone is looking forward to being able to watch and enjoy. It’s great that Ronja has finally made it to the Olympics, says Pia Grönblom.
Whether there is victory or defeat in the Games, one thing is certain in the Grönblom sailing family. We always eat ice cream. According to the mother, there is enough pressure on the daughter from outside and therefore her task is only to ask if it was nice and which ice cream flavor you chose. Family support and a strong family tradition mean a lot to a first-timer at the Olympic Games.
– It’s a really significant thing. Family has always been very close and important to me. It’s nice that now everyone can attend, says Ronja Grönblom.