Mange Olsson Scholarship Awarded – KSSS

Ebba Berntsson and Henric Wigforss have been named this year’s scholarship recipients from Mange Olsson’s Memorial Fund. Two future names in Swedish rowing received their scholarships at a ceremony on Tuesday at Djurgården in Stockholm. At the same time, Great Britain’s Simon Fisher received the Mange Olson Award.

Henrik Vikfors, KSSS, is 15 years old and has come a long way in KSSS Children and Youth sailing. He started on Classic Jolleskoj and moved on to KSSS, where he moved up the KSSS ladder and is now about to switch to a 29er. Henry There is Be determined, understand both tactics and strategy, and be able to sail the boat fast. It meant that he was already a very skilled sailor.

Last year she showed that she is one of the most optimistic sailors in the world when she took part in the WC silver team in the Optimist dinghy and finished fifth in the individual competition. In 2023, he has taken another step. He started the year by winning the world’s biggest Optimist competition, the Garda OptiMate, and then went on to win the WC in Optimist – the first Swedish WC gold in an Optimist dinghy in 43 years.

– I feel a great honor to receive this award. I am really looking forward to it and it will be great to meet the Olympic sailors and so many big names in rowing,” says Henrik.

Ebba Berntsson, KSSS, is 21 years old and already one of Sweden’s best female guests. Ebba switched to the 29er early on and meanwhile grew into a good girl at Sailing High School in Motala. Last year at Motala he switched to 49erFX and today he belongs to the Swedish development team, where he rides with Clara Utterström.

Ebba is positive, ambitious and determined and does not hesitate when faced with new challenges. In the spring, when Rebecca Netzler, traveling with Vilma Bobek, had back problems, Ebba had to jump in and join Sweden’s top 49erFX team. Eppa did very well as she and Vilma were the best Swedish crew when they finished eighth in the World Cup boat in Palma last spring.

– It is great to receive this excellent scholarship. I am currently in a position where I want a lot, but not enough time and money. The scholarship will enable a completely different winter where I can continue training. “It’s great to be awarded the Mange scholarship because I know many talented sailors have received the scholarship before and it’s truly an honor to be one of them,” says Eppa.

At the same time that Ebba and Henry received their respective scholarships, the Mange Olson Prize was awarded to Britain’s Simon Fisher. The prize is awarded annually to a sailor who has left an indelible mark on the world of sailing. Simon Fisher will be the tenth recipient of the award, which, like Mange, will reward international sailors who have developed sailing as both a person and a sport. Previous winners of the award include Dorpen Grell, Sir Ben Ainslie, Stan Honey, Santiago Lange, Grant Dalton, Carolyn Brewer, Peter Burling, Martin Grell and Belle Peterson.

Simon Fisher, or SiFi as he is known in the international sailing world, lives up to the foundation’s values ​​and Mange’s memory. The British navigator has taken part in The Ocean Race six times and won two – including the most recent edition with the 11th Hour Racing team. He is the first navigator in the race’s 50-year history to win twice.

The scholarship means that Ebba and Henry receive international Mange Olsen Prize winner Simon Fisher as a mentor for one year in 2023.