Following a highly spectacular event in the beautiful borough of Royal Greenwich, the international fleet of Tall Ships are poised to set sail down to the start of the first race leg of the the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta…
After a spectacular tall Ships Parade, the vessels will make their way down to Torbay, UK, the official race start partner. This first race leg will take the vessels through the Bay of Biscay and down to the Portuguese coastal port of Sines (29 April, 2017).
Sunday afternoon is set to bring with it the stunning Tall Ships Parade along the River Thames, with every vessel showing exactly why so many thousand have flocked to the city to see them. Santa Maria Mauela (Portugal), will lead the fleet, followed by Morgenster (Netherlands), and Vera Cruz (Portugal). The rest of the vessels will follow in perfect formation, along the iconic river before heading out into the channel and south towards the race start in Torbay.
A Wonderful Weekend of Fun in Royal Greenwich
After an unforgettable weekend with the Tall Ships that was full of fun for people of all ages, Sail Training International Race Chairman, James Stevens, thanked all involved.
“A combination of a great spectacle, good weather and a bank holiday has given us huge crowds in both Royal Greenwich and Woolwich. Running this event has involved a great deal of effort from many staff and volunteers, and i would like to pass a big thank you from Sail Training International to all of them.
“we have a mixed bag of weather today with fresh westerly winds and some showers for the Parade of Sail. But by the time the ships reach Dover, and their way to the start in Torbay, wind changes to a northerly direction which will be great news for the voyages down. They should make it down to Torquay hopefully by Tuesday, where they can have a well deserved rest before the start on Wednesday.”
James Stevens, Race Chairman, Sail Training International.
Race One Start
Unlike the majority of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta race legs, Race One of the event will not begin off the coast of the host port of the festivities. Instead, the race will begin off of Torbay, UK, the official race start partner of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta.
Each vessel of the fleet will therefore have a few days sailing with which they can help their new trainees learn the skills they will need for the race itself, and create bonds that will help them through the 850 nautical mile voyage ahead.
Join Us for Race Two from Sines to Bermuda
Has the spectacular Tall Ships fleet here in Royal Greenwich inspired you to take part in the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta?
There are still berths available on Race Two from beautiful Sines, Portugal, to Bermuda.
Click here to book you place today!
Arriving in Sines
Upon their arrival in Sines, Portugal in two weeks time (Saturday 29 April to Monday 1 May), crew members from all vessels are set to be welcomed warmly by the southern Portuguese city. Alongside the warmest of welcomes, there will be many crew activities for the weekend ahead, including sports competitions, pirate games, live music and much more.
Sines is known as the “land of discoveries” and it’s a municipality in the centre of the south-west coast of Portugal. It’s located in one of the most preserved regions of the European coast and has beaches, dunes, streams, moors, and regions of mountains. The city is also the historical birthplace of the navigator Vasco da Gama, who discovered the Maritime Way to India.
ABOUT THE RENDEZ-VOUS 2017 TALL SHIPS REGATTA
The Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta is truly the adventure of a lifetime. The event covers 7,000 nautical miles, visits seven different countries – UK, Portugal, Canary Islands, Bermuda, USA, Canada, France – and cruises to over 30 beautiful Canadian guest ports.
The event celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation through its founders and founding provinces, which is a unique chance to commemorate the rich history of sailing in Canada and around the world.
Up to 40 vessels will be crossing the North Atlantic Ocean and you could be on one of them!
WHAT’S NEXT?
Want to get involved with the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta? Check out our event page for more information. You can book your place directly with a participating vessel, or if you’d like help simply email our friendly team on enquiries@sailonboard.com who can make recommendations, answer questions and process your booking for you.
