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Events & Sports pages

'Expat Sports' in Finland

See also: 'Finnish Sports' - typically Finnish sports lots of expats want to try, or at least watch!
Ice Hockey, Floorball (Salibandy), Cross-country & Downhill Skiing, Rally Driving, Folk Racing, Tour Skating, Ice Swimming, Porvo: Akilles Sports Club

Introduction
Cricket, rugby and American football in Finland?? It's true! You're bound to run into a bunch of expats if you join, or go and watch, any of the teams mentioned on this page.

Sports & Sports Facilities

Finterest
Among other events and activities, Finterest helps you find sports and outdoor facilities Finland-wide in its Sports, Outdoors, and Nature sections. As listings appear, zoom in on the map of Finland for further details in the location of your choice, and links to the relevant websites.
www.finterest.fi - in 20 languages!

Municipal Sites
Wherever you are in Finland, finding your local sports facilities is easy. Each municipal website has a Sports section listing local sports facilities, as well as activities and events for adults and children. To find your local website see Expat Finland's page
City by City - Regional Sites by Local Authorities

Sports for Kids in Helsinki

The City of Helsinki organises sports activities for young people, including swimming schools, applied sports and more.
www.hel.fi > Supervised sports

Sports Camps

Sports camps and training programmes for kids - all welcome at all skill levels!

BFS Junior Football Camps in Helsinki 2023

British Football School runs 5-day soccer training camps in Helsinki for children aged 8-13 (playing in two groups, 8-10 and 11-13). The camps are fun and creative, delivered by fully qualified coaches, and designed to develop individual football skills and encourage positive interaction and teamwork in a safe, friendly English-speaking environment. Participants play games, learn technical information, and practice their new skills - and make new friends! The training sessions incorporate fun, fast moving games that enable your child to enjoy the ultimate football camp experience, and BFS welcomes all players at all skill levels.
Partcipants can attend for single days or the complete non-residential 5-day camps.
All 5-day participants receive a BFS football kit of shirt, shorts and socks!
Dates: Please check website for latest camp dates5-9 June 2023, 12-16 June 2023
Venue: International School of Helsinki, Selkämerenpuisto Map
Info & Sign-up: fi.britishfootballschool.com
Telegram/Viber/WhatsApp: +40 799 686 835

MoovKids Sports and Karate Camps 2024

MoovKids Summer Camps emphasise physical movement, development and wellbeing. Professionally run, great fun! All camps are 9:00-16:00 each day, including healthy meals/snacks. The next camps will be held in June-July 2024.
Summer Sports Camp   Ages 4-7
The most popular camp, including a variety of indoor and outdoor sports and activities using a wide range of equipment. Skill-focused coordination activities are incorporated into all sessions to improve coordination, flexibility and fitness.
Karate Camp   Ages 9-15
Basic karate punches, blocks, stances and kicks are taught, and a variety of games and other sporting activities are interwoven into the karate camp days. Children are in level-appropriate groups.
Gym/Karate Camp   Ages 7-10
A wide variety of movement activities that build coordination and physical self-confidence, as well as providing cognitive benefits. Children benefit both physically and academically while learning and having fun!
Web: moovkids.fi/camps
Facebook: facebook.com/moovkidscom
Address: Finnoonlaaksontie 7, 02270 Espoo, 2nd floor  Map
Tel: 050 576 3492

Rugby in Finland

Naturally we start with the best sport first! There are about 16 active clubs in the Finnish Rugby Federation, a big leap from 2001 when there were only two registered teams. At that point the game was played mainly by expats, but time has seen a lot of Finnish blokes getting involved in the sport; these days about two-thirds of players are Finns. The ladies have also joined in and recently gained prominence for themselves, and Finland, by comprehensively winning the FIRA European Championship Women's 7s, Group B, which earnt them a promotion to the European A Division. Legends!

If you join a rugby team, or just go and watch a game, you're likely to meet Aussies, Kiwis, Poms and other expat rugby players and followers from around the planet - some friendly rivalries! Apart from playing the game, rugby has a strong social tradition and you will undoubtedly find lots of social events on the calendar. Come one come all!

Finnish Rugby Federation
The head organisation's website has a calendar of fixtures throughout Finland, a guide to rugby, contacts and links to clubs, news and more.
https://www.finland.rugby - En, Fi

Finnish Rugby Clubs (many with Ladies' teams too!)

Rugby Refereeing
Refereeing can be a great way to give back to the sport and help to promote its development at grass-roots level. For those with personal ambitions, refereeing in a 'small rugby country' like Finland can also quickly mean officiating at Championship level, being sent on exchange to foreign countries, and even involvement in international matches. If you would like to get involved in refereeing in Finland or would simply like more information, please get in touch.
www.finland.rugby Finland Rugby Referees Association (FRRA)

Australian Rules Football

'Aussie rules' in Finland kicked off in 2007 with two official teams in domestic competition, the Helsinki Heatseekers and the Salo Juggernauts. The sport is growing in popularity, with four active teams in November 2015. The controlling body is the Finland AFL. New members always welcome!

Gaelic Football / Hurling in Finland

If you don't know much about these sports, check out Gaelic Football and Hurling at Wikipedia - looks fun! Both are administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Helsinki: Founded in 2011, the Helsinki Harps are an amateur sports club that plays and promotes GAA games in Finland. "As much as we all enjoy a sweaty run about, the core of our club is the people who make it up and the community they form. Everyone is welcome!": Helsinki Harps Gaelic Football Club
Tampere: Founded in 2022, and giving their mates in Helsinki some competition, is the Tampere Hammer Gaels Hurling Club. "We're keen to welcome new members regardless of age." Join in or go and watch! Tampere Hammer Gaels GAA club

American Football in Finland

Ironically there is not much information available in English about American Football in Finland! The Wikipedia page about the official sites is much more informative (in English) than the sites themselves: American Football Association of Finland

American Football Finland (SAJL)
Founded in 1979, American Football Finland had 32 member clubs in 2020, playing in 20 series from juniors to seniors, from Rovaniemi to Helsinki. Men's and women's leagues, and six different youth categories. The Finnish men's and women's national teams are the most successful in Europe in terms of medals.
American Football Finland: jenkkifutis.fi

Helsinki Wolverines Football Team
The Helsinki Wolverines have been going since 1995; they have men's, women's and junior teams. Online information in Finnish only.
facebook.com/helsinkiwolverines

Cricket in Finland

The Finnish Cricket Association (FCA)
The FCA was set up in 1999 to develop and organise the game of cricket in Finland. Cricket is a fast-growing sport here; from 4 clubs in 2001 there are now 20+ clubs in various parts of the country, so odds are you have a local club in your region! Finland is now proud to have its first dedicated grass cricket ground and pavilion at Kerava. The Kerava National Cricket Ground is home to the Finnish National Cricket Team.

The FCA's online presence is
Cricket Finland: cricketfinland.com
From this large site you can see information about the history and development of cricket in Finland, news, events, rules of the game and much more. If you are interested in playing the game, Cricket Finland also includes the List of FCA Cricket Clubs, which links to the individual clubs. If you'd like to get involved in some other way, there is also a Development section with pages about cricket umpiring, junior cricket, women's cricket and more.

Baseball & Softball

The central organisations are
Finnish Baseball and Softball Federation:
pesis.fi/baseball - Finnish + limited English
fi-fi.facebook.com/BaseballSuomi - Facebook
Finnish Baseball Association: www.pesis.fi - Finnish only

Teams
Espoo Expos: espooexpos.kotisivukone.com
Helsinki Mets: facebook.com/HelsinkiMets
Helsinki Puumat: fi-fi.facebook.com/puumatbaseball
Helsinki Boars: facebook.com/HelsinkiBoars
Lahti Pirates: lahtipirates.com
Malmi Bullets: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054306470464
Tampere Tigers: tamperetigers.sporttisaitti.com/
Turku Black Sox: turkublacksox.fi - No experience or skills necessary!

Karate

Finnish Karate Association
Founded in 1969, the Finnish Karate Association (Suomen Karateliitto ry) is the national umbrella organization for member clubs of Karate, Hokutoryu Ju-Jutsu and Taido. You can find a list of clubs Finland-wide, with contacts, at
www.karateliitto.fi > Jäsenseurat

Thai Boxing

Thai boxing has a robust following, and Finland has en extensive network of Thai boxing clubs. Individual clubs usually don't have websites in English, but you can find a list of clubs in many Finnish cities, with contacts, at
www.muaythai.fi > Jäsenseurat

Cycle Touring in Finland

Finland is a great place for mountain biking and bicycle touring. It provides varying landscapes for culture and nature-lovers alike. Cycloscope's Finland page contains loads of information. Content includes

Cycling Finland: cycloscope.net/cycling-finland
Nationalparks.fi: Nationalparks.fi is a great resource. Choose your activity, and search for 'destinations' in Finland to do it! Includes details of free and open wilderness huts.
Finlandnaturally.com: Finland, Naturally is another great resource for outdoor activities, including cycling and mountain biking.

Bicycle Repairs

At fonecta.fi, search pyörähuolto or pyöräkorjaamo (bicycle repairs) and the desired location / postcode.
Translates well in Chrome browser (How?).
Translate in Chrome
Desktop: Right-click anywhere on a page and click Translate to [Language].
iPhone / iPad: At bottom of screen, tap Translate.
Android: At bottom of screen select Language, tap Translate.
 Alternatively use Google Translate.

Fishing in Finland

Fishing is popular in Finland - about 10% of the country is covered in water, after all - and fish dishes are an integral part of Finnish cuisine. Finnish fishing culture has always been based on the idea that the catch will be prepared for a meal. The Fishing in Finland site is available in English, Chinese, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. It includes information on Finnish fishing destinations, species, methods, and services. Information about fishing licences, events and more is in the Fishing Facts section, including instructions for smoking fish!
Fishing in Finland: www.fishinginfinland.fi

Rowing

Helsinki
SMARK Rowing Club: Merikannontie 4, 00260. Ph: 050 5722 318 (Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00)
Not far from the Olympic Stadium, SMARK dates back to the 1930's.They welcome anybody with the slightest experience and interest in rowing, and also have an ice swimming season.
Club information: www.smark.fi

Other Rowing Clubs in Finland

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Expat Finland is a project by Stuart Allt 2004 -