Magnificent tall ships have started sailing into Lerwick ahead of the 2023 races on the island.
The town is expected to be buzzing with excitement all week as the community welcomes a fleet of 37 participating vessels.
Shetland will play host to the Tall Ship Races, which encourage international friendships and training for young people, from Wednesday until Saturday.
The first tall ship to arrive at Holmsgarth this morning was the Norwegian class D ship, Loyal, which was met by an excited crowd.
The gaff ketch is one of the oldest ships taking part having been built in Hardanger in 1877.
It was soon followed by the musical arrival of the Indoneisan Navy onboard their largest sail training ship.
The Bima Suci stopped off at the Port of Aberdeen over the weekend on its way to Shetland for the races.
Their arrival in Aberdeen marked the crew’s first visit to Scotland as well as the start of the countdown to the Granite City hosting the races in two years time.
Lerwick embracing spirit of event
Over the next couple of days, the rest of the participating ships and more than 1,300 crew members will arrive in Lerwick for four days of festivities.
The event will kick off with the opening ceremony on Wednesday followed by a programme of musical entertainment, family activities, sport events and tours for all to enjoy.
All of the action from the Tall Ship Races in Lerwick will also be streamed online.
Among the music acts is Scottish folk rock group, Tide Lines, who will headline a concert at an outdoor arena at Holmsgarth Pier on Thursday.
The Princess Royal is also scheduled to visit the island capital for the event, heading north to experience the race’s debut in Shetland and to attend the Captain’s Dinner.
The whole town is getting into the spirt of the event with a number of local shops selling official programmes which include all the need to know information.
Cee and Jays and Intersport in the town are selling official merchandise, including a range of T-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps, while Blyde Welcome are selling bags of a Tall Ships special blend of coffee beans.
Lerwick Port Authority chief executive, Calum Grains, said: “It has been an increasingly hectic planning and preparation period over four years which has been impacted by the Covid pandemic.
“With the big day finally here, we are proud to be a host port for the Races for the third time.
“Our ability to cope with routine operations and a busy cruise season – including six cruise vessels during the event – plus Tall Ships, is a visible demonstration of the port’s capacity and versatility.”
The four-day event will end on Saturday with the Parade of Sail between midday and 3pm as the 37 tall ships prepare to race to Arendal in Norway.
Have you spotted any of the tall ships arriving in Lerwick? If so, share your photos with us by e-mailing livenews@ajl.co.uk
