Iisalmen Pursiseura ry

History

Iisalmen Pursiseura was founded on 3 September 1974. The first commodore was Lauri Niemi; other founding members were Matti Pulkkinen, Erkki Pekkarinen, Veijo Pulkka, Matti Heikkinen and Rauno Kärkkäinen. The club base, known as Castrén Villa, was rented from the city in February 1975; the club flag was consecrated in spring 1977. Historic Villa Castrén stands at the northern end of Haukiniemenkatu in Haukiniemi; it was apparently built in the late 19th century by merchant Johan Puustinen, passed after 1900 to Renne and Hellin Castrén, and in the 1950s came into city ownership, serving among other things as a hostel. In the 1980s the annual regatta, first known as the Porovesi Regatta and later continued as Iisalmen Purjehdus, at times drew nearly 100 sailors to Iisalmi. Major championships included the Optimist SM ranking in 1983 with 64 boats, the Europe dinghy SM in 1991 with over 70 boats, and the Laser SM in 1994 with 40 boats. In the late 1980s the almost annual, light-hearted race “Iliman Aekojaan” began; Optimist sailors hold practice competitions every summer. In 2003 the club bought Villa Castrén and its outbuildings from the City of Iisalmi and leased the surrounding shoreline. After earlier renovations in the 1980s and 1990s, a thorough restoration began on 4 September 2003 and was completed in 2009. New shore and access jetties were ready for the 2009 boating season. The club also runs a navigation section with almost annual skipper courses at the adult education centre, with roughly equal numbers of motorboaters and sailors. Commodores since founding have included Lauri Niemi, Erkki Pekkarinen, Lassi Kokkonen, Raimo Saarenvirta, Veikko Nurhonen, Heikki Hortling, Jukka Rissanen, Outi Rissanen, Ari Autio, Pia Haikarainen, Jukka Virtanen, Tiitta Tolonen and, since 2024, Pekka Taipale.

Boat types

Membership fee

Opening hours