Discover our sponsor club, Helsinki Wrestling Club HAKA
Helsinki HAKA is a traditional and successful wrestling club that has been offering high-quality coaching to enthusiasts of all ages for over 30 years. The club focuses on community, diverse sports and competitive success all the way to the international top. We are proud to support HAKA in its valuable work in developing young athletes and wrestling culture.
We asked head coach Olli Hyvösen about the club and its activities.
1. Club history
• When and how was Helsinki HAKA founded?
The wrestling club Helsingin Haka was founded in 1990 in Hakaniemi, Helsinki. The name comes from the location of the wrestling hall, the wrestling company Haka Nelson, and the support provided by the construction company Haka during the club's founding.
• What are the club's most important milestones and achievements?
Helsinki Haka will be 35 years old in 2025. It started small, and the first Finnish Championship medals were won in 2007. Today, the club is a successful wrestling club that has won around 100 Finnish Championship medals in different age groups. Wrestlers have represented Finland in international competitions, and their best achievements include Eljas Kuosmanen's European Championship bronze medals in 2018 and 2019 and Tino Ojala's U23 European Championship in 2023.
2. Activities and training
• What age groups does the club offer coaching for?
The club offers activities ranging from stunt training for 1–3 year olds to adult sports, including top-level international sports. The club has nearly 20 activity groups in three different locations. Cooperation is also carried out with other sports by offering additional training opportunities at the wrestling gym.
• Who are the club's head coaches and what is their background?
The club has 10–15 coaches.
• Olli Hyvönen is the club's head of coaching and the Uusimaa regional manager of the Finnish Wrestling Association. He has a competitive background in boxing and extensive experience in various roles at the club since 2000.
• Sauli Heinonen is the club's head coach and one of the founding members. He is an experienced professional coach and coach trainer, and his best achievements include the Finnish Men's Championship and the PM silver medal.
• Oskari Lehtonen works as the regional coach of Greco-Roman wrestling in the Uusimaa region. He has several Finnish Championship medals and experience representing the national team.
• What are the club's most important goals in coaching?
The club's goal is to increase the number of wrestling enthusiasts and provide sports services for all ages. In addition, the goal is to provide competing wrestlers with the best possible training and competition conditions, all the way to the international level.
3. Competitive success and representation
• Which famous athletes has the club trained?
Elias Kuosmanen and Tino Ojala.
• In which competitions has the club been successful in recent years?
The club's best achievements include Eljas Kuosmanen's European Championship bronze medals in 2018 and 2019 and Olympic representation in 2021. Tino Ojala won the U23 European Championship in 2023. In addition, the club's wrestlers win around 10 Finnish Championship medals in different age groups each year.
4. Community and values
• What are the most important values of Helsinki HAKA?
Openness, community, diversity and networking. The club strives to offer families diverse exercise opportunities in which everyone can participate.
• How does the club support sports and recreational opportunities for children and young people?
The club offers affordable family packages that allow the whole family to participate together. The club pays the entry fees of wrestlers participating in competitions and supports athletes aiming for international level where possible.
5. Sponsorship and cooperation with Robust
• What does Robust's support mean to the club?
The club's fundraising has been challenging due to the economic situation and the effects of the corona period. Thanks to Robust's support, the activities have been able to be developed and the increase in hobby fees has been curbed.
• How has the cooperation developed over the last three years?
With Robust's support, fundraising has become more diversified, and the cooperation covers, among other things, marketing measures, such as participation in the 2025 Children's Fair.
• How is sponsorship reflected in the club's operations in practice?
Sponsorship enables reasonable operating fees and support for athletes aiming for international level. In return, Robust receives visibility on the club's apparel and events.