2008 Tall Ships Race &                                                 Summer in the Norwegian fjords

Tall Ships Races are an annual event. Their purpose is to provide an opportunity for friendly competition among the sail training fleet and to develop international friendship among the young trainees and the communities visited during the races. They give participants the opportunity to gain new experiences, face new challenges, learn new skills, make new friends, and have a whole lot of fun! This is always a colourful and exciting event , mixing longer offshore passages with more leisurely cruising and opportunities to visit some very interesting places en route.

We are offering a 25% discount to everyone under the age of 25 who would like to take part.

This year, our 114 year old vessel Leader will be participating in race leg 1 and the Cruise in Company.  Leader will leave Brixham in July and sail to Liverpool for the first Tall Ships Race gathering from July 18th - 21st, when the first Race leg gets under way. This will take the fleet to Maloy in Norway and from there the 100-strong fleet will cruise in company to Bergen further up the coast.

The race leg will involve several days and several hundred miles of continuous sailing, so are ideal for those looking for more of a challenge than a typical coastal or cross-channel cruise provides. Each of the host ports lays on a full programme of parties, inter-crew competitions and fun events, and there is a real carnival atmosphere surrounding the fleet and the harbour.

The Tall Ships Race rules require at least 50% of the crew to be aged 16-25, so this is an ideal event for young people. However, those who are more mature but young at heart and looking for something different to a regular cruising holiday are also very welcome.

Leader

Leader is a gaff rigged ketch. She measures 80 feet on deck, with an overall length of 105 feet. She sails with a professional skipper, mate and cook, and up to twelve guests. Accommodation is situated in the central part of the boat, just ahead of the main saloon area where crew can relax when off watch or sit down to meals. Leader has two showers and two heads cabins (toilets) onboard. For further information on Leader's accommodation click here.

When on passage, the crew will typically be split into two ‘watches’ or teams, who will alternate in being on duty for a few hours, then sleeping for a few hours. This allows everybody to get a good amount of rest whilst keeping the boat sailing efficiently 24 hours a day.

Itinerary

The programme is as follows:

Tall Ships Race Leg 1 July 20 - August 3: Liverpool to Maloy (Norway)

After a couple of days to enjoy the festivities in Liverpool, the fleet will sail 180 nautical miles to the race start on the north coast of Ireland on July 23rd. The fleet then leaves the Outer Hebrides to their starboard and passes between the Isles of Orkney and Shetland before heading across the North Sea to the charming town of Maloy on the west coast of Norway. The 650 nautical mile route will offer challenging sailing over nine days.

Cruise in Company August 3 -11: Maloy to Bergen (Norway)                                                                                                                                  Leader After having arrived in Maloy, Leader will then spend the next five days sailing up the Norwegian coast to Bergen. This 110 nautical mile leg is not a competitive event, but a cruise of friendship and adventure giving the ships a choice of alternative sailing routes and ports of call en route.

The trainees and sailing guests will have the opportunity to experience some of the famous fjords of western Norway as well as the myriad  of islands and small settlements and villages along the dramatic coastline

Midsummer cruising in the Norwegian fjords

Following on form the Tall Ships Race, Leader will spend the next two weeks cruising around the famous Norwegian fjords from her base in Bergen. The first six-night cruise will commence on Monday, 11th August and the second will commence on Sunday 17th August.

Situated where the sea and mountains meet, the charming and traditional  city of Bergen is the gateway to the fjord region, and the fjords in this area are many and varied.

The World Heritage listed fjords were formed in the last ice age by glaciers gouging their way through mountain ranges to the sea. The largest and most famous are the Sogne and Hardanger fjords with their numerous tributaries and Bergen is situated between the two.

The contrasts between the fjords and the mountains are best appreciated at water level and what better way to visit these ancient sites than on an historic vessel.

There will be plenty of time to go ashore and explore both Bergen and the surrounding coastal villages and we would aim to arrive at a new place each evening after the day's sailing.

Contact us in the office on 01803 883355 for further information or to make a booking.

Find Out More ...

Contact Us for more information, to enquire about availability, or to make a booking.

Get news of the race from the organisers on the Tall Ship Races website.

For cheap flights to and from the host ports, visit:

Scandinavian Airlines - www.flysas.com

Norwegian airlines - www.norwegian.no

Visit www.fjord1.no for information on ferries from Maloy to Bergen airport.

Air Norwegian (www.norwegian.no), Scandinavian Airlines (www.flysas.com) and Air Wideroe (www.wideroe.no) all fly from London Stanstead to Bergen and flights start from £77 return.