Paul Cayard, Peter Shipway and compelling speakers draw full house at HSS Classic Yacht Symposium 26
by HSS Classic Yacht Symposium 30 Mar 09:38 BST
28 March 2026
The sold out HSS Classic Yacht Symposium 2026 in Helsinki, brought together a global audience of classic sailing enthusiasts, designers, historians, and maritime professionals from over 20 nations for a day of high-level discussion and shared passion for sailing heritage.
Headlining the event, America's Cup skipper and Volvo Ocean Race winner Paul Cayard delivered a keynote focused on the enduring appeal of the Star Class. Paul Cayard is both current World Champion and the President of the International Star Association.
"A tremendous honour to come to Finland and address such a passionate audience at this wonderful symposium."
— Paul Cayard
Australian offshore sailor Peter Shipway from Sydney, veteran of his 31 Hobart races, brought a dynamic historical perspective to the symposium, tracing the evolution of high-performance sailing from early 18ft skiffs to the grueling offshore racing in the Sydney Hobart Race.
"What a wonderful experience to be invited into the Classic Yacht community of Scandinavia to witness their passion. The Symposium was a real highlight for me and I would like to thank everyone for making me so welcome and to see firsthand just what a special place classic yachts hold in so many people's hearts.
"It was an honour to be able to bring some southern hemisphere stories to Helsinki.. thank you again!"
— Peter Shipway
Other speakers included Olympian and 8 Metre sailors, visiting yachting historians and regatta organisers.
With strong engagement throughout the Classic Yacht Symposium once again reinforced its position as the premiere meeting point for the international classic yacht community.
Singoalla Award 2026
The Classic Yacht Symposium also featured the annual presentation of the Singoalla Award, recognising outstanding contributions to the preservation and promotion of classic yachts.
The International Singoalla Award was presented to Ed Kastelein (NL), whose decades-long work in recreating historic yachts has set benchmarks for authenticity and scale. His projects, including the 50 meter long Westward and 71 meter Atlantic, brought some of sailing's most iconic designs back to life for modern audiences.
The Nordic Singoalla Award was awarded to Joakim Håkans (FIN) for his role in restoring and revitalizing the historic Åbo Båtvarf in Turku. Under his leadership, the site has become a leading Nordic center for classic yacht restoration, sailing activity, and maritime education.
"The success of our 13th symposium reflects the global position the gathering has now achieved as well as the strength and passion of the global classic yacht community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Helsinki in March 2027."
— HSS Classic Yacht Symposium Organizing Committee