The iconic Tall Ships fleet made a triumphant return to Fredrikstad after four years away with thousands of spectators coming to welcome them after Race Two of The Tall Ships Races 2023…
With the first ships arriving in Fredrikstad on Wednesday, excitement has building for the official start of the celebrations and the overcast weather wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of the crews and visitors.
To mark the start of four days of celebrations Race Chair, Bjorg Johnsrud Western, welcomed everyone with an insight into the charitable mission of The Tall Ships Races and the importance of the sail training experience for young people.
“The Tall Ships Races are organised by Sail Training International, a non-profit charity that gathers sail trainers and Tall Ship operators from all over the world. Today the organisation has 26 member countries.
Since Fredrikstad hosted The Tall Ships Races in 2014, over 50,000 young people have taken part in The Tall Ships Races. These young people have come from over 80 countries. They have formed lifelong friendships, had the adventure of a lifetime and for many it has been a truly life-changing experience.
Sail training is all about giving young people the possibility to learn seamanship and how to handle new and challenging activities, both as a team and as a person.
They get to sail between two different countries and meet other young people from all over the world. Even better – sailing is a green a sustainable way to travel and offers the opportunity to learn about our oceans and hopefully realise how important it is to look after them.
You discover that you have hidden strengths and talents, you see the value of working in a team and the value of friendship. You often discover that you have increased confidence and trust in yourself and other people and you acquire life skills which will help you live a more fulfilled life
You have lots of fun and you most importantly… you learn that you can do it!”
The Tall Ships Races 2023 Race Chair, Bjorg Johnsrud Western
Over the coming days the Tall Ships fleet have a wealth of activities ahead of them now they have made it back to dry land, including cultural tours, sports events, guided city tours, morning yoga, e-gaming and a crafting workshops. A ideal chance to share stories and experiences from Race Two.
ABOUT THE TALL SHIPS RACES 2023
The Tall Ships Races 2023 will see 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.
