Race two, report one: race start a magnificent spectacle

The start of race leg two of The Tall Ships Races 2015 was a magnificent spectacle for the Captains and crews, as well as spectators, as the fleet ran through the start line just outside of Kristiansand in the Skagerrak sea area yesterday (Tuesday 28 July).  The fleet is now racing to

Aalborg, Denmark – their final destination in this unique annual event.

Today

(Wednesday 29 July) lighter winds have seen speeds drop and the fleet of 30 Class As particularly struggling, giving smaller vessels the advantage.  At time

of publication Class D was fighting for the lead at the front of the

fleet with Tomidi (Belgium) leading on the water, hotly pursued by Pen Duick VI

(France) closely followed by Class C Spaniel (Latvia).

First over

the start line in each class were:

Class A

1) Christian

Radich (Norway)

2) Mir

(Russia)

3) Pogoria (Poland)

Class B

1) Morning

Star of Revelation (UK)

2) Utopia

(Denmark)

3) Atene

(Sweden)

Class C

1) Spaniel

(Latvia)

2) Akela

(Russia)

3) Polonez (Poland)

Class D

1) Pen Duick

VI (France)

2) Gigi (UK)

3) Bies

(Poland)

The course

has three set waypoints; the fleet has already passed the first waypoint and

now winds are turning light and scheduled to go north west which will assist

vessels as they approach the second waypoint, after which they will head north

east to Oslo Fjord.

Positions (on corrected time) as at 1000 BST today (Wednesday 29

July) showed: