First Prizes and a Colourful Parade Wow Den Helder

Day two of The Tall Ships Races 2023 in Den Helder, Netherlands, saw more celebrations and the city burst into life as the crews of the world-famous Tall Ships fleet treated spectators to a rainbow of colour with the Crew Parade and Prize Giving Ceremony…

Den Helder has enjoyed another spectacular day as the sun shone brightly across the city and the fleet of The Tall Ships Races 2023. As hundreds of visitors once again visited the historic Naval Port to see the majestic Tall Ships in all their glory.

Anticipation was in the air as trainees snaked their way from the event site and through the heart of Den Helder, taking in Keizersgracht, Willemsnoord and Beatrixstraat for the Crew Parade which is a Tall Ships Race staple. Once the crews arrived at the MainStage, all eyes turned towards and the announcement of the first of this year’s winners at the Prize Giving Ceremony.

And the winners were…

Most spectacular arrival

Bima Suci (Indonesia)

Vessel furthest from home

Bima Suci (Indonesia) – 9,032 Nautical Miles

Best dressed ship in port

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Oldest vessel in the fleet

Swan (UK) – 123 years old

Youngest captain (on arrival)

Jędrzej Owczarski, Urtica (Poland)

Youngest crew (avg. age on arrival)

Ocean Scout (UK)

Most international crew (on arrival)

Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway)

Best Crew Parade – Class A

Alexander von Humboldt II (Germany)

Best Crew Parade – Class B/C/D

Urtica (Poland)

Best overall in Crew Sports

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland) and Esprit (Germany)

Runner-up in Crew Sports

Urania (Netherlands) and Bima Suci (Indonesia)

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.