Tallinn Yacht Club’s 2024 Season Summary

On November 14, Restaurant Puri hosted TJK’s active and junior members for a delightful dinner, celebrating the highlights and achievements of the 2024 season.
After posing for photographer Tiit Aunaste in front of the photo wall and reminiscing about summer events, it was time to move on to the formal part of the evening.
Commodore Valdo Kalm reflected on the season’s highlights, which included engaging club evenings, Kakumäe GP stages, the TJK Cup series, the squadron sail, small craft operator and SRC radio communication training, a maritime rescue course, and the launch of Thursday races for offshore yachts. It was an eventful and diverse season.
Ott Kallas then presented an overview of the club’s budget.

Maris Seersant, the director of TJK Sailing School since 2024, announced the Junior Sailors of the Year, who were Mari Ottesson and Remy Tupits from the ILCA boat class. Maris also provided an update on the activities of the sailing school, which, in addition to winter camps, competitions, and training sessions, introduced a cycling camp that immediately became popular among young sailors.

The major event of the 2025 season will be the Nordic Youth Sailing Championships, organized by Tallinn Yacht Club from July 21-26. Other key events will include the squadron sail, Kakumäe GP stages, major regattas at Lennusadam, Lohusalu, and Kakumäe, trainings, Thursday races, and club evenings.
The sailing school’s season will kick off in December, when young sailors head to Vilamoura for a training camp.
Guest speaker Rait Killandi introduced Trossi maritime assistance, emphasizing the importance of considering maritime safety before setting sail, rather than when in distress.
The evening concluded with the lowering of the club flag, led by the commodore and vice commodores.

Since no club or sailing school can function without the active participation of dedicated members, parents, and supporters, it was time to acknowledge and thank them.
Acknowledgements:
For supporting the yacht club and sailing school: Liviko, NG Investeeringud, Jüri Käo, Armin Karu, Egon Mats, Raivo Kütt.
For supporting the yacht club: Websystems, Mart Hirtentreu, Margus Mets, Rait Killandi, Mairold Metsaviir, Valdo Kalm.
For supporting regattas and the sailing school: Haven Kakumäe, Tallinn Culture and Sports Department, Lääne-Harju Municipality, Omaraamat, Peep Roosmann, Brigita Sepp, Lenart Kivistik.
For supporting the sailing school: Annika Tallinn, Jüri Kuusk, Triin Sepp, Eva-Liisa Niit, Silver Tiido, Andres Juul, Sven Karuse, Lauri Labe, Raul Koov, Riho Purje.
For supporting regattas: Tallinn SAR, Veiko Pedosk, Anneli Taal, Laur Kelder, Tarmo Idarand, Eero Link, Tallinn Maleva Sea Scouts, Anu Reiman, Märt Pais, Margit Kangur, Aleksander Strand.
For teaching junior sailors: Priit Rüttel, Eliise Raamat, Johanna Kažjava, Aleksander Kuusik, Mona Roosmann, Maria Veessaar, Maris Seersant.

Tallinn Yacht Club Season Overview:

The club’s year kicked off with traditional club evenings. On January 18, members met the yacht Picasso as Captain Veiko and Captain Anneli shared their experiences from two years of sailing the world’s oceans – covering sailing conditions in different regions, storm strategies, bureaucratic requirements, proven technical solutions, security concerns, and much more.
On April 25, members gathered at Niguliste Museum, where the evening began with organ music. Museum director Tarmo Saaret introduced the permanent exhibition and the display “There and Back. Livonian Pilgrimages in Medieval Europe”, followed by a glass elevator ride to the church tower for breathtaking views of Tallinn.
On May 4, the club held its general meeting, where Armin Karu passed the role of commodore to Valdo Kalm. The club flag was raised at Haven Kakumäe, and the season-opening regatta was launched. The Miilikippar Challenge Trophy was awarded to Veiko Pedosk, and the club’s honorary medal was presented to Karl-Martin Rammo for his Olympic qualification. The two-day opening regatta featured 55 sailors.
The squadron sail visited Kelnase, Hara, and Viinistu harbors, with 15 boats and 39 participants. Evenings featured lively gatherings, including: Prangli Island, hosted by the Karupesa family, Hara Harbor, with an official squadron opening ceremony led by harbor captain Tarvi Velström, followed by dinner with DJ Tom Lilienthal, Viinistu, where Jaan Manitski introduced his art museum, followed by a harbor restaurant dinner.

The club organized three international regattas: Tallinn Race (July, Lennusadam) during Tallinn Maritime Days and Tall Ships Races, Tallinn Yacht Club Cup (August, Lohusalu), Tallinn Week Regatta (September, Haven Kakumäe). To enhance club-level racing, Kakumäe GP stages for 29er, 49er, and ILCA dinghies, as well as Thursday offshore yacht races, were held throughout the season. Next year, the club will host the Nordic Youth Sailing Championships in the last week of July at Haven Kakumäe.

On September 19, a club evening at Kumu Museum featured curator Inga Jaagus, who introduced the exhibition “History and Mysticism: Latin American Art and Europe”, covering art from the 17th-19th century Spanish colonial era and 20th-century Latin American modernists.

In early November, at the World Sailing Annual Conference in Singapore, former commodore Andrus Poksi was appointed as the first Estonian council member. Andrus has been an international judge since 2005, serving on Olympic regatta juries in London (2012), Rio (2016), Tokyo (2021), and Paris (2024). He has contributed significantly to the development of competition officials and sailing regulations in Estonia and is regarded as one of the world’s leading sailing experts.

TJK Sailing School operates in Kakumäe, Pirita, and Lohusalu, educating about 150 young sailors. This year, it introduced two multi-day sailing clinics and added one 49erFX and three 29er boats to its fleet.

The club conducted small craft operator and SRC radio communication courses in spring and autumn at Haven Kakumäe, along with practical sailing sessions.

Facebook post with photo gallery: Link
Text: Brigita Sepp & Ott Kallas