King Harald V of Norway leaves the sail after decades competing internationally

Dec. 23 () –

King Harald V of Norway has announced that he will stop participating in international sailing competitions after decades in which he has been seen in several world cups and in up to three editions of the Olympic Games.

“Everything has its time”, said the monarch, known as the ‘sailor king’, who has advanced that in all probability his participation last July in the World Championship held in Geneva, Switzerland, was his last.

“It was very nice. It was fun to participate again, but that was probably the last time (…) I may sail in Norway. If someone needs someone to train against, I will help them, but I doubt that I will travel abroad again,” he has Said in statements to the Norwegian station NRK.

King Harald V, on the throne since 1991, has been suffering from increasing health problems in recent years, although this did not prevent him, albeit with difficulties, from participating this summer in the Sailing World Cup that was held on the lake. Swiss from Geneva “With crutches it is not so easy to move around the ship, he has recognized him.

Earlier this week the monarch had to be admitted to a hospital in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, due to an infection that required intravenous antibiotic treatment. In November he was out with a cold and in August he also had to be hospitalized for an infection.

Already in 2021 the Norwegian king had to undergo surgery on one leg, and a few months before he underwent surgery to replace an artificial heart valve.