First Class Speech and First in Class D

The Captain of Class D vessel, Urania, delivered a great speech at the Captains’ dinner in Lisbon and continued his theme of success by securing first place on corrected time in Class. 

Here is what S.(Stefjan) H. Veenstra, LtCdr Royal Netherlands Navy, Commanding Officer, HNLMS Urania, had to say:

“Your Excellentie, members of the organisation, dear guests and especially my fellow captains,

Tonight I’m given the opportunity to speech on behalf of all the captains. I’m Stefjan Veenstra, commanding officer of the Urania, the Netherlands Navy Sail training Vessel.

Robin asked me yesterday, thank you Robin, to stand here tonight on this beautiful location.

If some of my words are to fast, I’m sure that the communications officer of the Frederic Chopin is more than happy to relay my message again.

Yesterday I called my wife and asked her, what do I tell my fellow captains and his Excellentie during this dinner. I asked her should I talk about Football, European championship? She replied: were are you. In Portugal my dear. She said no: that not a good idea but if you speak to Ronaldo, Tell him I said Hi

Than I called my Minister of Defense first of all: he never invited me for dinner and maybe he has a nice topic to talk about tonight: Maybe I can say something nice about budget reductions: he said no, that’ not a good idea, but by the way: are you on a sailing ship in Lisboa sitting in the sun.. I quickly hang up the phone.

About what do skippers talk: weather and rating/TCF

On behalf of all the captains, I want to thank Lisboa for supplying us with this beautiful weather. Especially without air-conditioning we enjoy the weather to the max

Captains also like to talk about TCF.

For example the Urania. Within my class D, We had line honoursäó_. I went to talk to Paul Bishop but he said no: that not a good idea to talk about because I hardly understand it myself. You already have a price by doing this speech.

My dear colleagues: I will round-up:

I talk about football, weather and ratings because it unites. It unites like the Tall ships races. Everybody is here because they want to be here, sail there ships and teach young people the craft of sailing and seamanship.

I want to thank his Excellentie for hosting this captains dinner, I want to thank the city of Lisboa for having us in there beautiful city. To my fellow captains I say fair winds and following seas and good luck in race two”

Urania’s result is provisional and will be confirmed tomorrow the prize giving ceremony in Cadiz.

 The Tall Ships Races 2012, Presented by Szczecin and organised by Sail Training International is taking place in the following host ports: 

St Malo – Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 July (race start Monday 9 July)

Lisbon – Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 July

Cadiz – Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 July

La Coruí±a – Friday 10 to Monday 13 August

Dublin – Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 August

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