SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you!

Norway

King Harald will attend the World Championship in sailing

The World Championship in sailing will begin next Saturday and will last until 12 August. Perhaps the most prominent athlete competing for the championship title is King Harald V of Norway. The Royal Court calendar confirms that the King will participate in the competitions from 1 July to 7 July. Next to King Harald in the ship “Sira,” there are also five other Norwegian vessels.

After the monarch’s participation in the World Championship last year the Norwegian television channel NRK was in contact with an expert on sailing, which states that the King is only mentioned with the highest respect by other sailors and international attendees. In 2016, the King also participated in the World Championship in sailing in Canada and 2017 in Norway.

King Harald in his admiral uniform. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.

Last summer, King Harald attended the official opening of the King Harald World Gym for Life Challenge, a tournament in the King’s name. More than 2000 practitioners from 23 nations competed for one week for being the best in the world. In connection with the 80th birthday of the King in 2017, the Norwegian Sports Association gave away three experiences from the sport as a gift to His Majesty the King. The World Gym for Life Challenge was one of these gifts.

HM The King. Photo: Oskar Aanmoen.

King Harald is not the only royal who has devoted time to sailing in the summer. Also last summer, the Duchess of Cambridge visited the Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre.

Sports are significant to His Majesty the King and especially sailing. Throughout his life, the King has been an active athlete and been pleased to stay at sea and in nature. Even at the age of 81, His Majesty is a keen sailor and has participated with Norway’s National Sailing Team during three Olympic games. King Harald has taken part in a series of World Championships and became World Champion in 1987 in the one-ton class. He also has several medals from other competitions in sailing.

About author

Senior Europe Correspondent Oskar Aanmoen has a master in military and political history of the Nordic countries. He has written six books on historical subjects and more than 1.500 articles for Royal Central. He has also interview both Serbian and Norwegian royals. Aanmoen is based in Oslo, Norway.