News

Tall Ships's Races Fleet are on route

21/07/2008

The Tall Ships' Races fleet are currently en route from Liverpool to a position some five miles off Lough Foyle where the race will start tomorrow,
23 July, at 3pm local time. The fleet have been making good progress with helpful winds and will be on time in the location.

Weather conditions look favourable for the race start and for the next few days, providing the fleet with excellent sailing conditions. The race start will be a spectacular affair with the 60 ships all in full sail as they cross the line. The use of engines forbidden except for safety reasons. Next stop Maløy in Norway where they are due by 1 August.

The time since their departure from Liverpool in the Parade of Sail yesterday has, for many of the ships, provided a useful time for training.
The new trainee crew members, many of whom may not have sailed offshore before, will be undertaking some much needed instruction on the operation of their ship so that when they cross the start line, they will already be working together as a well oiled team.

The four days spent in Liverpool were a spectacular success with some 1 million people visiting the fleet and witnessing the Parade of Sail. Despite the fleet being split between two locations and some high winds, the crowds were delighted with their visit and it seems everyone wants The Tall Ships'
Races fleet to return again soon.

Once the race is under way, the Sail Training International fleet tracking will commence with twice daily updates on the progress of the fleet and the positions of the individual vessels. Www.tallshipsraces.com/mapping.

Images of the fleet in Liverpool are available from:
http://www.sailtraininginternational.org/page.asp?partid=20

« Return to list of articles