Finland’s capital Helsinki will stage the 2017 Women's Match Racing World Championship at the NJK Sailing Center, it has been announced ©Mick Anderson/Sailingpix.dk

Finland’s capital Helsinki will stage the 2017 Women's Match Racing World Championship at the NJK Sailing Center, it has been announced.

Applications for the host venue opened in July 2015 with the evaluation panel reviewing all those received.

World Sailing's Board of Directors then endorsed the recommendation made by the panel.

The selection of the NJK Sailing Center, located close to the city centre and renowned for its match racing pedigree, is subject to a successful site visit and satisfactory contractual arrangements.

Together with the Finnish Sailing and Boating Federation and the Finnish Olympic Committee, NJK runs a training centre for elite sailors and hosted the inaugural Youth Match Racing World Championship in 2014.

It is also set to hold the first round of the 2016 Women's International Match Racing Series from June 27 to July 1. 

"In 2014, NJK was chosen to host the first ever Youth Match Racing World Championship and it was a very successful and well run event," said World Sailing’s head of events, Alastair Fox.

"World Sailing is confident the NJK Sailing Center can repeat the same success with the Women's Match Racing World Championship and the close race areas to the capital city will draw in spectators to watch and support the crews."

Australian city Perth staged the 2011 edition of the Women's Match Racing World Championship
Australian city Perth staged the 2011 edition of the Women's Match Racing World Championship ©Getty Images

Finland won two sailing medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games with Tuuli Petäjä taking silver in the women’s RS:X and the trio of Silja Lehtinen, Silja Kanerva and Mikaela Wulff claiming bronze in the women’s Elliott 6 metres.

Lehtinen, Kanerva and Wulff came out on top at the 2011 Women's Match Racing World Championship in Gothenberg.

The 2017 edition will take place in Finland in a year when the country celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence.

"The evaluation panel had the difficult task of choosing between three excellent bids and Helsinki came out on top," said Liz Baylis, chair of the Match Racing Committee.

"With Finland's rich culture in match racing, including a medal performance in the 2012 Olympics, we expect nothing short of an exceptional regatta with great community support and excellent sailing."

Dates for the regatta are due to be confirmed in the near future.

insidethegames has asked World Sailing to confirm the other two cities which bid.