Lappeenrannan Pursiseura ry
Lappeenrannan Pursiseura ry is a sailing specialist club founded in 1952 on Lake Saimaa in Lappeenranta, with about 400 members and a strong volunteer spirit. The club base Purjehduskeskus Wilmanranta at Linnoitusniemi offers reception rooms, a sauna, offices and storage for dinghies and winter gear; further bases are on Suuri Mäntysaari and Kurensalo. The club fleet includes Optimists, ILCA/Laser, H-Boats and other dinghies; the youth section trains weekly and the SPV/PORY-certified Wilmanranta sailing school teaches adults. The race programme with Tuesday races, Saimaa Ranking, Wilmanrannan Valssi and the legendary Saimaa 24h event shapes the sporting calendar. The slogan tradition “Mieluummin purjehdin” and the member magazine Halssi reflect a long club culture.
History
Lappeenrannan Pursiseura ry was founded in 1952 as a sailing specialist club. In 1968 the club flag emblem was officially approved. In the mid-1970s the slogan “Mieluummin purjehdin” emerged, inspired by Asko Verho after seeing an English sticker; the logo took its current form, and large numbers of slogan stickers were printed in the late 1970s and 1980s. The legendary 24-hour sail began in 1971 to develop night navigation and endurance; in the 1980s and 1990s it sometimes drew around 80 crews, last ran in classic 24-hour format in 2000, then lapsed in the mid-2010s before a 2026 pilot revival. Construction of Purjehduskeskus Wilmanranta at Linnoitusniemi was decided in 2003, built with about 5,000 volunteer hours and opened on 1 May 2005, funded among others by EU Objective 2 funds, the city and club contribution. Since 2007 the Wilmanranta sailing school has operated in SPV/PORY-certified form and has introduced about 150 people to the sport. A club history is being prepared for the 75th anniversary in 2027; the member magazine Halssi appears each spring.
Information
Facilities
Purjehduskeskus Wilmanranta at Linnoitusniemi with reception rooms, sauna, offices, dinghy storage and winter storage; island bases Suuri Mäntysaari (Mäntsikkä) and Kurensalo (Parkonperä); wooden-boat yard at Pallo; windsurfing base Surffikuuri at Huhtiniemi; club fleet with Optimists, ILCA/Laser and H-Boats Aino and Väinö.
Activities
Youth and dinghy training, SPV/PORY sailing school for adults, cruising and squadrons, Tuesday races and about 15 regattas yearly including Saimaa Ranking and Saimaa Geopark Regatta, Saimaa 24h race, wooden-boat and windsurfing sections, member evenings Saalinki & Salaatti, boat hire.
Youth section
Active junior and dinghy section with Optimist/ILCA training, beginner courses, weekly practice May–September and club boats; contact junnut@lrps.fi / +358 40 513 8268.
Parking
Linnoitusniemi harbour area
Guest berths
Via Saimaa base network