CUTTY SARK TALL SHIPS’ RACE 2003
Successful event for sail trainers, with extreme weather testing the fleet
The Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Race series in the Baltic this summer tested the fleet and crews with everything from dead calms to violent storms. Race One from Gdynia (Poland) to Turku (Finland) was one of the quickest and simplest on record with light and mainly favourable winds, peppered with a few periods of no wind at all. Race Two from Riga (Latvia) to Lübeck Travemünde (Germany) could not have been more different. It featured some of the worst weather ever for a Tall Ships’ Race with two days of foul conditions that inflicted gear damage and worse on a quarter of the fleet.
But in terms of sail training for young people it was a great success. In a questionnaire survey at the end, all but a handful of captains said the series had made a very valuable contribution to their sail training programme for young people.
The premier award for the race series, the Sail Training International Friendship Trophy (awarded by secret ballot of the fleet to the ship’s company that did most to encourage international friendship and understanding) went to Russia’s Class A Mir, which had the added accolade of being first on corrected time for the race series.
The Race was a success for the host ports too, with visitor numbers in each port ranging from 500 thousand to 1.2 million, and with extensive international media coverage. By the end of the race in late August, all four ports had decided to bid to host the Tall Ships’ Race when it is next held the Baltic (2007).
Gdynia
As the fleet arrived for the opening celebrations for this year’s Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Race, Gdynia sweltered in near-record temperatures and the city had decided this was going to be an event to remember for the people of Poland. 1.2 million visited the port area during the official four days in late July; the Country’s President and Prime Minister visited the fleet too, and some 230 journalists, photographers and TV crews were accredited to the event’s Media Centre. The festive atmosphere over the official visit concluded with a spectacular fireworks and laser display the evening before the Parade of Sail out of the port as the fleet headed for the start line.
Race One: Gdynia to Turku
A wind-shift of 100 degrees less than half an hour before the start made life difficult for the huge Class A square-rigged ships in particular. But what followed was one of the quickest races on record in largely favourable winds. The Cayman Island-registered Class B Windrose was first to finish in just 34 hours and 44 minutes. First overall on corrected time was the Class B Helena from Finland. In fact, most of the fleet finished a few days before the official stop-over dates for Turku. So, all but a few then cruised the beautiful Finnish archipelago or set out to sea for more formal sail training exercises before heading in to port.
Turku and beyond
Turku too boiled in temperatures of 35+ degrees Centigrade, a full ten degrees above the seasonal norm. Here again the city welcomed the fleet for a few days of sports, culture and fun. As in Gdynia, a tented village lined the streets selling nautical gear and clothing, local crafts and race merchandise, refreshments and food of every kind. Here again the President of the country visited the fleet. As in Gydinia, there was an active media centre with some 150 journalists, photographers and TV crews accredited to it.
The Parade of Sail out through the archipelago was seen by tens of thousands lining the shore and afloat in some 2,000 spectator craft from canoes to large pleasure yachts and party boats.
The Cruise-in-Company to Riga took much of the fleet to Mariehamn for centenary celebrations for the Pomern, one of the biggest square-rigged ships in the world and now a museum. Several also visited the Latvian port of Ventspils where every Class A ship had been offered five tonnes of free fuel.
Many in the fleet exchanged some members of their crews with those on other vessels to broaden the experience of the young trainees. Russia’s Mir took on board nearly 40 trainees of a dozen different nationalities from as many vessels in the fleet, winning her the Riga Special Prize for the ship that did most to encourage the unofficial crew exchange programme.
Riga
Riga spared neither effort nor money to give the fleet and more than half a million visitors a time to remember. Brand new dockage had been installed to provide the best berthing anyone could remember. More than 1,000 of the young crews took part in the land and water sports arranged for them. There were two spectacular fireworks displays. And the country’s President took the salute during the Parade of Sail from the foredeck of an ice-breaker under a cloudless sky.
Race Two: Riga to Lübeck Travemünde
The fleet romped across the start line for Race Two in rising winds, but it was to become far worse than had been forecast. Within an hour some were reporting gusts of 60-70 knots. Over the next 48-hours or so, gale-force winds and a boiling sea were to reek havoc on many of the participating vessels.
Reports came in from across the fleet of blown sails, damaged gear from broken bow-sprits to bent deck-fittings, flooding, and several with severe sea-sickness on board. There were many tales of hardship and great seamanship too, the three most prominent being:
Ireland’s Asgard II suffered a flood which her crew eventually located and quickly fixed. The next day, with conditions on the edge of making it impossible, a sick crew member was taken by Polish SAR helicopter to hospital in Gdynia.
Belgium’s Zenobe Gramme stood by the stricken and flooding Wars of Poland and escorted her to a safe haven. Zenobe Gramme was then swamped herself and took seawater into her fuel tanks requiring her to retire from the race and make for port.
The UK’s Prince William stood by the stricken and flooded Freedom of Sweden for over 12 hours. She sent a bo’sun with two experienced trainees across in a rib to help deal with the flooding, then also transferred the doctor from Germany’s Alexander Von Humboldt to treat the injured Freedom skipper. This won the Prince William the coveted Honourable Company of Master Mariners Trophy awarded for an act of outstanding seamanship.
Norway’s Class A Sorlandet was first overall on corrected time for the second race whilst close to a quarter of the fleet retired from racing, but most made it to Lübeck Travemünde. When the race had finished, Russia’s Mir anchored by the finish line some 70 miles from port and offered food and a shower to the smaller boats. Prince William’s final act of seamanship was to tow the Danish Jens Krogh (with a rope around her propeller) into port.
Lübeck Travemünde
The fleet had a few days to make repairs, lick its wounds and catch up on some sleep before the final Crew Parade, prizegiving ceremonies and fireworks display. Again, some half a million visitors toured the berthing area and marvelled at the fleet and what the crews had been through.
The Parade of Sail out to open sea, from where the fleet scattered in all directions to their home ports, was witnessed by several hundred thousand spectators lining the shore and on the water.
Thanks and congratulations
A fleet of close to 100 sail training vessels had taken part in the Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Race 2003. Some 3,000 of their crew were aged between 15 and 25 and all returned to their homes in more than 20 different countries with memories that will last a lifetime. Many will have made friendships that will last the test of time. And most will want to sail again in a Tall Ships’ Race as soon as they can.
The Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Race 2003 was organised and managed by Sail Training International. Thanks and congratulations are due to the Captains, professional and trainee crews that sailed with the fleet, to the host port organisers, and to the many hundreds of volunteers who gave generously of their time to make the event a success.
(For more news and photographs and for the full list of results and prize lists on this year’s Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Race, see the News and Results pages of the Races section of the Sail Training International web-site).
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