Sail Training International will organise a race for sail training Tall Ships to Funchal, Madeira, in September this year and assist with arrangements for the Funchal Festival Do Mar to help celebrate the city's 500th anniversary.

Falmouth, in the south west of England, has been selected as the start port for the event. The fleet will race from there at the beginning of September this year to Port of Aveiro in Ílhavo, Portugal, before a second race to Funchal, Madeira.

COURSE AND HOST PORTS

The course of the Regatta is close to the trade route chosen by traditional sailing ships of the distant past when crossing the North Atlantic, a southerly route to take advantage of the prevailing winds.

Falmouth to Ilhavo (Port of Aveiro) is some 630 nautical miles south-south-west. With Ushant (north west France) and Cape Finisterre (north west Spain) to negotiate, and the prevailing winds from the west to north west, the first leg of the race may still present a number of tactical challenges for the fleet. This will be particularly true for the square-rigged ships which cannot sail as close to the wind as those with fore-and-aft rigs.

Ilhavo to Funchal is a further 630 nautical miles south-west across open sea, but the tactical challenges to play wind and current to best advantage may be just as critical in determining the end result.

All three host communities are now committed ‘sail training friendly’ ports, offering support and services to sail training vessels year-round. All three see their participation in the Regatta as further supporting this philosophy as well as providing their own communities with a unique spectacle and festival to enjoy while the fleet is in port.

VIDEO

VISITS TO THE TALL SHIPS CREW PARADE CREW PARTY PARADE OF SAIL IN FRONT OF FUNCHAL AMPHITHEATRE

TALL SHIPS RACE EXHIBIT – FUNCHAL 500 YEARS, ON THE ROUTE OF THE GREAT SAILING SHIPS

Date: October 3rd to 26th Venue: Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre Author: Leonel Martinho Nóbrega More information...