13.10.2016
Six months to go until Tall Ships fleet anchors in Royal Greenwich
Royal Borough of Greenwich Media Release
The countdown is on to Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta that will celebrate 150 years of the Canadian Confederation in a breathtaking sail from the shores of Royal Greenwich to the heart of Quebec.
Royal Greenwich will be the first host port for the race to Canada and, with over 8 miles of riverfront set against a backdrop of historic buildings and majestic parks, there will be plenty to see and do during the rally-point for the fleet of Tall Ships over Easter weekend 2017.
Next Easter's festivities are set to hand a huge boost to the local economy and local businesses, with up to 1 million international visitors expected to arrive in the borough's local town centres to see the Tall Ships.
Councillor Denise Hyland, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “The Tall Ships Festival is such a magnificent spectacle and we are excited to be the starting point for these beautiful ships to gather. It really will be a wonderful sight to see. We’re also busy putting together a fabulous mix of performers from both the UK and Canada to entertain visitors and looking forward to showcasing our beautiful borough on the international stage.
“We’re recruiting Tall Ships Trainees to sail from Greenwich to Portugal for the first leg of the Regatta – if you’re looking for a personal challenge for 2017, this is it. And if you’re a local business in the borough, we want to work with you so that you make the most of this amazing event.”
The event will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dozens of young people to experience life on the high seas, with training and sailing on the first leg of the Sail Training International Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta. Recruitment is still open – go to www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/tallships2017
Following the success of the Tall Ships Regatta 2014, which attracted 1.1million visitors, the Royal Borough of Greenwich is proud to be the London Home of Tall Ships.
Organised by Sail Training International, the ships will be anchored at two sites in the borough - which will be the locations of our Tall Ships Festival villages - the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site at Greenwich town centre, and the Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich.
The festival will run from Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 April 2017, with a huge Parade of Sail taking place at around 5pm on the Sunday. The Parade of Sail will see around 30 Class A and B Tall Ships and a number of smaller Class C and D ships sail down the Thames in convoy.
After leaving Greenwich on 16 April 2017, the ships will sail down to Sines, Portugal, before crossing the Atlantic to visit Bermuda and the Eastern USA, arriving in Quebec on 18 July 2017.
Seafarers UK, together with Sea Cadets, are the chosen Charity Partners for Royal Greenwich Tall Ships 2017.
The Royal Borough is encouraging local businesses to take part and get the most out of the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2017. Businesses who want to be kept informed about opportunities to get involved should contact [email protected]
For more details about the Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Festival 2017, visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/tallships2017
To get involved as a sponsor or partner for the event email the team at [email protected]
ENDS
Notes to editors
Sail Training International 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 www.sailtraininginternational.org
Seafarers UK help people in the maritime community by providing vital funding to support seafarers in need and their families. They do this by giving money to organisations and projects that make a real difference to people’s lives across the Merchant Navy, Fishing Fleets, Royal Navy and Royal Marines. They receive no government funding and are heavily dependent on public donations and legacies to maintain their grant-making programme. To find out more, visit www.seafarers.uk
Sea Cadets: Every week, across the UK 14,000 young people are challenging themselves and learning new skills like sailing a tall ship, rowing on lakes and canoeing down waterways. The Sea Cadets is a nautical, national youth charity giving young people between 10 and 18 a place where they can find fresh confidence and inspiration, through nautical adventure, based on the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy – giving them a great head start in life. Watch their films here: www.sea-cadets.org
