Team Pro4u, competing in First 36.7 "Malin" for KSSS, was yesterday awarded the Sea Catcher of the Year (Nakterhuset) for 2018. The team that got this are the eight who have sailed regular in Team Pro4u in 2017 and 2018 and they are: Patrik Forsgren, Anders Mårtensson, Joakim Hoppe, Anders Björk, Oskar Hellblom, Johan Tuvstedt, Oskar Sömermaa and Peter Thorwid.
The motivation for the "Havskappseglare" award, which goes to Patrik Forsgren and Team Pro4u, KSSS, is according to the Swedish Sailing Association's website:
For outstanding international achievements in sea racing in 2018, med a world championship gold and bronze in The Hague as thecrowning glory. The team has shown that their long-term, methodical investment in sea racing has resulted in extraordinary results in Northern Europe over the past seven years.
The House
We are extremely happy and grateful that we have received this prize and we see it as proof that the purposeful and long-term effort we have had to place well in the annual international championships in sea racing paid off. Pro4u won amateur European Championship and World Championship gold every year – i.e. seven years in a row, we won european championship gold in total in 2017 and 2015 and won a medal overall in the European Championships and world championships every year.
Team Pro4u. Top row from left: Joakim Hoppe, Oskar Sömermaa, Anders Björk and Oskar Hellblom. Bottom row from left: Johan Tuvstedt, Anders Mårtensson, Peter Thorwid and Patrik Forsgren.
"Sea racing with a boat with eight people is a bit like ten struggle and it is important to keep track of many areas such as project management, speed, sail, economy, team building, maneuvers, boat optimization, weather, logistics, etc. and we may not be the best at anything but we have succeeded maintain a high level in most areas for a long time and the whole is what counts and has given us the successes we have had," says Team Pro4u's skipper and owner Patrik Forsgren.
This is now also the third time that Team Pro4u, in previous years with partly different crew, receives this award after previously receiving it in 2014 and 2012. We are very proud that three times received this fine award and we thank the Swedish Sailing Federation and the Swedish Sea Race Federation!
All of this year's sailors.
Furthermore, such a long-term effort is not that we make possible without the support of our partners and especially our main sponsor Pro4u. Our families and employers around the team are also important for us to be able to put the commitment and time (just over 40 days of competition and training in 2018) that required to stay at a high level. We say many thanks to all those who support us!
Patrik receives the award for Sea Catchman of the Year.
Our main goal in 2019 will be the European Championship, which then goes on home soil in Sweden and Oxelösund, which we look forward to a lot! Please follow us in the future.