What a day it has been in Hartlepool! Early undocking to accommodate the tidal water didn’t put off hundreds and hundreds of visitors to cheer and applaude the ships as they made their smooth and perfectly choreographed departures. Morgenster (The Netherlands) was the first to leave the quayside and Bima Suci (Indonesia) was the last to slip with the band onboard playing Auld Lang Syne.
The ships then headed out of the port, the smaller vessels via the lock, to a holding area before forming up to begin the Parade of Sail – the traditional way that the ships say thank you to the port. With thousands of onlookers on the shore, and many local boats providing an unofficial escort, the ships formed up and sailed along the headland before making their way out to the race start, some five miles off shore.
The conditions were perfect, blue skies, fluffy clouds and a gentle but steady breeze.
Class A’s were the first to cross the line, a breathtaking sight for those lucky enough to be in the area. Eendracht (The Netherlands) took line honours.
Class B’s came next, with Jolie Brise (UK) and Swan (UK) chasing line honours in their class with Swan just ahead.
In Class C/D Urania (The Netherlands) looked stunning as she crossed the line.
“It was a traditional start to the race, with the Race Committee on two start vessels, either end of the line. The breeze picked up just 30 minutes before the start warning signal for Class A, reaching 10-12 knots of southwesterly wind, increasingly slightly by the time the Class C/D made their starts. As competitive as ever, Eendracht made a great start.
I would like to give my sincere thanks to Hartlepool for a wonderful event here and see you in Fredrikstad!”
Magda Makowska, Race Director
So Race Two of the Tall Ships Races 2023 is underway, heading to Fredrikstad. You can, of course, follow the progress of the entire fleet throughout the race.
About The Tall Ships Races 2023
The Tall Ships Races 2023 sees the international fleet of Tall Ships and Small Ships return to Den Helder, Hartlepool, Fredrikstad, Lerwick and Arendal from 29 June to 6 August.
With four of the five Host Ports having already hosted the stunning Tall Ships fleet, we are excited to return to old friends and visit new frontiers for some exhilarating sailing, stunning cruises and celebrations across Northwest Europe.
As with every edition of The Tall Ships Races, the series will offer a range of sailing experiences for trainees and crews. The Race Committee will look at waypoint options to provide shorter and longer races for the fleet that will require a mixture of tactical skill and exhilarating speed to conquer.