Kaarle Tapper (FIN) started sailing when his grandparents took him to an Optimist-class starters school in Helsinki as a seven-year-old.
The 14-year-old - who finished third at the 2010 Byte World Championships in Cannes, France, in April - sails with Helsinki Sailing Club and is coached by his father Markko Tapper (FIN).
A talented all-round sportsman, he is an international-calibre skiier and currently tops the Finnish national slalom rankings for his age.
Tapper, who speaks three languages, says he enjoys the contrast sailing provides to his winter sports activities
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