As the official start host port for the Tall Ships’ Races Magellan-Elcano, Falmouth will welcome beautiful tall ships from around the world to arrive for four days of festivities including a Parade of Sail before the race start.
This will take place from Tuesday, August 15 to Friday, August 18 2023. The Tall Ships fleet will then follow a racecourse to A Coruna, from August 24 to 27, Lisbon from August 31 to September 3 and Cadiz from September 7 to 9.
Tall Ships’ Races are designed to encourage international friendship and training for young people in the art of sailing.
This spectacular, annual event takes place in European waters over the summer months and consists of two racing legs of several hundred nautical miles, and a cruise in company between the legs. This year the Tall Ships Race is called the Magellan-Elcano.
READ NEXT: Falmouth Tall Ships: what to see, when - and how to get onboard a tall ship
The Falmouth event is being organised by Falmouth Town Council and has been secured thanks to the award-winning Falmouth Town Team – proactive Falmouth Town Council and Falmouth BID partnership, with Perfect Events Group and Falmouth Tall Ships Association.
These organisations along with Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, A&P Falmouth, Port Pendennis Marina, Cornwall Marine Network, Fal River, and Volunteer Cornwall are the Host Port delivery team and will be responsible for coordinating all activities whilst the ships are in port, supported by a huge team of volunteers and emergency services.
This will be the sixth time Falmouth has hosted the globally significant occasion, the last one taking place in 2014.
In fact, Falmouth is somewhat of a pro at hosting the Tall Ships festivals, having first welcomed the Tall Ships Race in 1966, 1982, 1998, 2008 and then the most recent Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta in 2014.
The vibrant Cornish port is a perennial favourite of captains and crew alike; in fact, Falmouth has hosted the tall ships event more times than any other UK port.
The whole town comes alive with events, live music, receptions and parades as it welcomes around 750 international captain and crew members, and 100,000 visitors over four days.
Who is Sail Training International?
The Tall Ships Race Magellan-Elcano is organised by Sail Training International (STI), a registered (not for profit) charity whose purpose is the development and education of young people, regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social background, through sail training experiences: http://www.sailtraininginternational.org/
STI works closely with the world's sail training Tall Ships, national sail training organisations and host ports, to help young people benefit from the sail training experience.
It is the world's leading provider of Tall Ship races and events, conferences and seminars, publications, research, and other services for the international sail training community.
The Ships
Over a dozen vessels are expected to sail into Falmouth for the 2023 event, including five of the world’s most impressive Class A square rigged ships. It will be a truly international occasion, with ships in attendance from the UK, Mexico, Denmark, Poland, Uruguay, Spain, Italy and Belgium.
There are four classes of ships in attendance for the 2023 Falmouth Tall Ships
CLASS A
All square – all square-rigged vessels (barque, barquentine, brig, brigantine or ship rigged) with a length of hull (LOA) of over 24 metres and all other vessel more than 40 metres LOA, regardless of rig.
CLASS B
Traditionally rigged vessels (i.e. gaff rigged sloops, ketches, yawls and schooners) with an LOA of less than 40 metres and with a waterline length (LWL) of at least 9.14 metres.
CLASS C
Modern rigged vessels (i.e. Bermudan rigged sloops, ketches, yawls and schooners) with an LOA of less than 40 metres and with a waterline length (LWL) of at least 9.14 metres not carrying spinnaker-like sails.
CLASS D
Modern rigged vessels (i.e. Bermudan rigged sloops, ketches, yawls and schooners) with an LOA of less than 40 metres and with a waterline length (LWL) of at least 9.14 metres carrying spinnaker-like sails.
CLASS A
Cuauhtemoc
Dar Mlodziezy
Georg Stage
Fryderyk Chopin
Caitan Miranda
CLASS B
Maybe
Jolie Brise
CLASS C & D
Juan de Langara
Stella Polare
Challenge Wales
Patricia
Stats and facts on each ship can be seen here: https://www.falmouth.co.uk/tall-ships-2023/
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here