Latest news with #TallShipsRaces2025
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Scotsman
Tall Ships Races 2025: Haar, foghorns and a sailing spectacular
Aberdeen is in all its nautical glory as it welcomes the Tall Ships Races 2025. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The haar thickened, the foghorns blared - and a city welcomed the Tall Ships as if they were its own. And at home these ships very much looked as they took their places around the quays of the Port of Aberdeen which, for centuries, has anchored the city's deep seagoing past. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The sight of the quays rammed with sails, rigs, sailors and visitors over the weekend threw an echo of how the harbour would have looked over generations past. Normally closed off to the public - unless you are catching a ferry to Orkney and Shetland - the harbour swelled with around 100,000 people on Saturday, connecting them to the core of the city once again. READ MORE: The best pictures so far from The Tall Ships Races 2025 Around 2,000 sailing crew on ships from South America, the Middle East and Europe have arrived in Aberdeen from Dunkirk as the Tall Ships Races 2025 continues. Next stop is Norway. | National World More than 3,000 ships were built and launched in Aberdeen between the early 1800s and 1990s, with around a tenth of the vessels the ocean-going Clippers that raced the high seas delivering tea, wool and coal around the world. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This weekend, the world of Tall Ships returned to Aberdeen, after two previous visits in 1991 and 1997. Around 50 vessels are berthed in Aberdeen until Tuesday as the Tall Ships Races 2025, which started at Le Havre on July 4, reaches its third destination. READ MORE: Ship banned from Tall Ships Races 2025 turned away at Orkney An estimated 100,000 visited the Port of Aberdeen on Saturday for the Tall Ships spectacular, which is in the city until Tuesday. | National World Next stop is Kristiansand in Norway, with the ships due in Esbjerg in Denmark on August 6. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Spectacular vessels from Oman, Peru, Turkey and across the Continent are in dock, from restored herring luggers to the mighty Shabab Oman II that was created for the Sultan of Oman and used as a naval training vessel. Mazoon Hamad, crew member of the Shabab Oman II, which is owned by the Sultan of Oman and used for naval training. | National World Hundreds queued for a chance to step on the ship yesterday. Among them were Mary and Alan Love, an Aberdonian who now lives in London. The couple will meet their children in Aberdeen over the weekend to add to the family's Tall Ships memories created in 1991 and 1997. Mary and Alan Love, from London, have returned to Aberdeen, Mr Love's home city, for the Tall Ships Races 2025. | National World Mr Love said: 'We are trying to get on this ship as I think this might just be our moment to see it.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The event embraces both the past and the future of sailing, with historic sail ships - often saved from destruction, preserved and returned to the water- manned by crews which must be made up of those aged between 15 and 25, according to rules set out by race organisers Sail Training International. The charity aims to distill the values of sailing - such as teamwork and confidence - into young people, as well as bringing together different cultures and nations. Thomasina Mallet, 18, from Yell in Shetland, was part of a crew who delivered a ship to Le Havre from Lowestoft for the first leg of the race. She said: 'It is always a great atmosphere to take part. You have fun sailing and then come into town and meet all the other crews. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Miss Mallett, 17, who has been sailing for four years, added: 'It is good good to be in the middle of the sea, you are in tune with the wind and the waves and the weather and then you have got to know how the sails work to make sure you are using the wind efficiently to make sure you can actually move. 'Also meeting all the people is so good, you are literally all in the same boat. You end up becoming best friends.' Thomasina Mallett, 18, from Shetland, and Louis Broughton, from Norfolk, are among the young crews training on the Tall Ships Races 2025. | National World Louis Broughton, 18, is due to sail the next leg from Aberdeen to Kristiansand, and expected the journey to take four or five days given the 'tenatative winds' that are forecast. Of the joy of sailing, he added: 'You are out there doing unparalleled things in the complete vastness of the ocean with just a few people with you. It is isolation at its purest.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Joe Farrow, is a trustee of the Excelsior, an 1921 Lowestoft fishing smack, which was rescued from Norway in the 1970s, where it had been converted to a motorboat. Mr Farrow said: 'Since we have had her we have taken 17,000 young people or disadvantaged young people to sea. 'We think of ourselves as a sail training organisation before the fact that we have responsibility for an old boat 'And what really pleases us as trustees is seeing people who maybe lack confidence or having difficulties in their lives come sailing with us , and they are introduced to an environment of trust and responsibility, while also being exposed to risk. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Our aim is to boost their confidence, increase their skills and give them some incredible memories. The Tall Ships is a great example of that. 'We have some schoolchildren on board from Norfolk at the moment from one of our partner schools. They are doing excellent. We have had a very, very eclectic mix of backgrounds on the boat at any time. 'The sailing has been mixed, when we were passing Sussex and Norfolk the Excelsior was doing 10 knots, which was incredible. Really we would like a little more wind.' Joe Farrow, a trustee of the Excelsior fishing smack which is used to train young people and those from disadvantage backgrounds in the art of sailing. | National World Vanessa Mori, Deputy CEO and Commercial Director of Sail Training International , said the organisation had been 'absolutely overwhelmed' by enthusiasm shown by Aberdeen for the event. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'To see the city come alive with 50 tall ships, international crews and local communities is just a delight. 'It's a pleasure working with the team, in what is and will be an amazing event for the city over the next four days. We look forward to the next one.' Scottish Government Minister for Business and Employment, Richard Lochhead, added: 'The Tall Ships celebrate Scotland's proud maritime history and long tradition of international exchange. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Aberdeen Line, which built more than 100 ships from the Walter Hood Shipyard, in the very place the Tall Ships are berthed today. 'It's incredible to see Aberdeen hosting this spectacle which draws visitors from across the world.'
Scotsman
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Tall Ship Race vessels arrive in Aberdeen ahead of four day spectacular
Jane Barlow/PA Wire The festival in Aberdeen is expected to attract around 400,000 people Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Vessels taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2025 have begun arriving in Aberdeen ahead of a four-day festival. The race began in Le Havre in France in early July and the ships sailed round the coast to Dunkirk before travelling on to Aberdeen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They will stay in Scotland until July 22 and the competing ships will then race to Kristiansand in Norway and finally to Esbjerg in Denmark, arriving there in early August. The festival in Aberdeen is expected to attract around 400,000 visits between Saturday and Tuesday. Around 50 ships from around the globe will be berthed at the quaysides, which will host a range of attractions from food and craft stalls to street performers and concerts, while visitors will also be able to board some of the vessels. Events will also take place elsewhere in the city, including an international crew parade on Sunday with more than 1,500 sailors expected to take part, exhibitions, free activities and art installations. On Tuesday, the ships will depart with a 'parade of sail' along the quayside and beach esplanade. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scotsman revealed earlier this week that tall ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen due to current national and international legislation. The captain of the ship was born in Russia and sanctions introduced following the invasion of Ukraine mean the vessel cannot enter a UK port. Shtandart had originally entered to take part in race four between Kristiansand and Esbjerg. Jane Barlow/PA Wire The TS Shtandart has released an open letter to the port authorities stating: 'The sail training ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen. 'As a result, she and her crew have been excluded from the list of participants in the 2025 Tall Ships Races. Let us be absolutely clear: TS Shtandart is not a Russian ship. 'She does not fly the Russian flag. She is registered under the flag of the Cook Islands. She is owned by a Finnish citizen, operated by a German company and crewed by an international team. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'She has not visited Russia for more than 15 years and is neither owned, operated, nor funded – directly or indirectly – by any Russian entity or by the Russian Federation. 'Therefore, she does not fall under any categories listed in Article 57A of the UK Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations. 'The only remaining link to Russia is the captain's place of birth. He left the country over a decade ago and has since been a long-term resident and taxpayer in Germany. He has not returned to Russia in many years and has dedicated his life to education and youth development at sea. 'TS Shtandart carries no political message. She is not a threat nor a tool for propaganda. She is a floating school, an ambassador of peace, a bridge between generations and nations.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sail Training International said Aberdeen was not a confirmed stop for the ship and Shtandart's captain, Vladimir Martus, was fully aware of the situation. It said: 'Sail Training International confirms that it received communications from the ports of Aberdeen, Kristiansand and Esbjerg informing us that Shtandart was denied entry into their ports, due to current national and international legislation.
STV News
17-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
Tall Ship Races vessels arrive in Aberdeen
Vessels taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2025 have begun arriving in Aberdeen ahead of a four-day festival. The race began in Le Havre in France in early July and the ships sailed round the coast to Dunkirk before travelling on to Aberdeen. They will stay in Scotland until July 22 and the competing ships will then race to Kristiansand in Norway and finally to Esbjerg in Denmark, arriving there in early August. The festival in Aberdeen is expected to attract around 400,000 visitors between Saturday and Tuesday. Around 50 ships from around the globe will be berthed at the quaysides, which will host a range of attractions from food and craft stalls to street performers and concerts, while visitors will also be able to board some of the vessels. Events will also take place elsewhere in the city, including an international crew parade on Sunday with more than 1,500 sailors expected to take part, exhibitions, free activities and art installations. PA Media The Bap Union emerges from the haar as it approaches Aberdeen On Tuesday, the ships will depart with a 'parade of sail' along the quayside and beach esplanade. It emerged on Wednesday that tall ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen due to current national and international legislation. The captain of the ship was born in Russia, and sanctions introduced following the invasion of Ukraine mean the vessel cannot enter a UK port. Shtandart had originally entered to take part in race four between Kristiansand and Esbjerg. The TS Shtandart has released an open letter to the port authorities stating: 'The sail training ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen. 'As a result, she and her crew have been excluded from the list of participants in the 2025 Tall Ships Races. 'Let us be absolutely clear: TS Shtandart is not a Russian ship. 'She does not fly the Russian flag. She is registered under the flag of the Cook Islands. She is owned by a Finnish citizen, operated by a German company and crewed by an international team. PA Media Crew attend to the sails and rigging on the Fryderyk Chopin as it prepares to dock in Aberdeen 'She has not visited Russia for more than 15 years and is neither owned, operated, nor funded – directly or indirectly – by any Russian entity or by the Russian Federation. 'Therefore, she does not fall under any categories listed in Article 57A of the UK Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations. 'The only remaining link to Russia is the captain's place of birth. He left the country over a decade ago and has since been a long-term resident and taxpayer in Germany. He has not returned to Russia in many years and has dedicated his life to education and youth development at sea. 'TS Shtandart carries no political message. She is not a threat nor a tool for propaganda. 'She is a floating school, an ambassador of peace, a bridge between generations and nations.' Sail Training International said Aberdeen was not a confirmed stop for the ship and Shtandart's captain, Vladimir Martus, was fully aware of the situation. It said: 'Sail Training International confirms that it received communications from the ports of Aberdeen, Kristiansand and Esbjerg informing us that Shtandart was denied entry into their ports, due to current national and international legislation. 'As a result of this, Sail Training International regrettably cancelled her participation in The Tall Ships Races 2025.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Tall Ship Races vessels arrive in Aberdeen
Vessels taking part in the Tall Ships Races 2025 have begun arriving in Aberdeen ahead of a four-day festival. The race began in Le Havre in France in early July and the ships sailed round the coast to Dunkirk before travelling on to Aberdeen. They will stay in Scotland until July 22 and the competing ships will then race to Kristiansand in Norway and finally to Esbjerg in Denmark, arriving there in early August. The festival in Aberdeen is expected to attract around 400,000 visits between Saturday and Tuesday. Around 50 ships from around the globe will be berthed at the quaysides, which will host a range of attractions from food and craft stalls to street performers and concerts, while visitors will also be able to board some of the vessels. Events will also take place elsewhere in the city, including an international crew parade on Sunday with more than 1,500 sailors expected to take part, exhibitions, free activities and art installations. On Tuesday, the ships will depart with a 'parade of sail' along the quayside and beach esplanade. It emerged on Wednesday that tall ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen due to current national and international legislation. The captain of the ship was born in Russia and sanctions introduced following the invasion of Ukraine mean the vessel cannot enter a UK port. Shtandart had originally entered to take part in race four between Kristiansand and Esbjerg. The TS Shtandart has released an open letter to the port authorities stating: 'The sail training ship TS Shtandart has been denied entry to the Port of Aberdeen. 'As a result, she and her crew have been excluded from the list of participants in the 2025 Tall Ships Races. 'Let us be absolutely clear: TS Shtandart is not a Russian ship. 'She does not fly the Russian flag. She is registered under the flag of the Cook Islands. She is owned by a Finnish citizen, operated by a German company and crewed by an international team. 'She has not visited Russia for more than 15 years and is neither owned, operated, nor funded – directly or indirectly – by any Russian entity or by the Russian Federation. 'Therefore, she does not fall under any categories listed in Article 57A of the UK Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations. 'The only remaining link to Russia is the captain's place of birth. He left the country over a decade ago and has since been a long-term resident and taxpayer in Germany. He has not returned to Russia in many years and has dedicated his life to education and youth development at sea. 'TS Shtandart carries no political message. She is not a threat nor a tool for propaganda. 'She is a floating school, an ambassador of peace, a bridge between generations and nations.' Sail Training International said Aberdeen was not a confirmed stop for the ship and Shtandart's captain, Vladimir Martus, was fully aware of the situation. It said: 'Sail Training International confirms that it received communications from the ports of Aberdeen, Kristiansand and Esbjerg informing us that Shtandart was denied entry into their ports, due to current national and international legislation. 'As a result of this, Sail Training International regrettably cancelled her participation in The Tall Ships Races 2025.'
Daily Record
15-07-2025
- Daily Record
Everything you need to know about Tall Ships Races 2025 as iconic event comes to Aberdeen
Around 400,000 visitors are expected as Aberdeen is set to host Europe's "biggest free family festival" Aberdeen is preparing to welcome one of Scotland's biggest tourism spectacles of the year as the final countdown begins for the Tall Ships Races 2025. Almost 50 majestic sailing vessels from across the globe will descend on the Granite City from this Friday, July 18, ahead of four days of festivities from Saturday, July 19, to Tuesday, July 22. Organisers are expecting around 400,000 visitors to the city during the event, which is billed as Europe's largest free family festival. It is almost 20 years since Scotland's biggest port welcomed the prestigious international sailing event The Tall Ships Races last came to Aberdeen in 1997, having also been there in 1991. The races are designed to promote international friendship and offer young people hands-on experience in the art of sailing. The vessels are split across four classes ranging from grand tall ships to nimble single-masted boats. They will begin arriving on Friday following a race leg from France. They will remain docked in Aberdeen until Tuesday, when they set sail for Norway. The ships will be berthed across several quaysides: Waterloo, Regent, Trinity, Upper, Jamieson's and Blaikies. The main entrance to the viewing areas will be via Marischal Street, and many of the ships will be open to visitors keen to step aboard. Among the fleet is Dar Mlodziezy from Poland, the tallest ship taking part at an impressive 62.5 metres high. Her name means 'the gift of youth', and she made her Tall Ships debut in 1982. The vessel that has travelled furthest to reach Aberdeen is BAP Union from Peru, covering a staggering 7,500 nautical miles (almost 14,000km) from Callao. Built in 2015, it is also the newest ship in the line-up. At the other end of the spectrum is Christiania, a 130-year-old beauty built in 1895. Roughly 2,000 crew members from countries as far-flung as Uruguay and Oman will participate, supported by hundreds of local volunteers. Music, food and family fun Aberdeen is set to transform into what organisers are calling a 'party city'. Major headline gigs from Deacon Blue, Kaiser Chiefs, and Ministry of Sound Classical are already sold out, while an eclectic programme of free live music will fill the city. The entertainment includes sets from Tide Lines, Calum Bowie, Glasvegas, Brooke Combe, The Little Kicks, Capollos, and Look Busy Collective. The festival will also showcase Scottish traditional music, jazz, hip hop, Afrobeat and Latin soul, along with performances from local choirs and youth ensembles. Families can head to Blaikies Quay, where a dedicated kids' zone will feature a giant sandpit and a chance to meet Dorry the Dolphin, the official Tall Ships Aberdeen mascot. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Travel advice and road closures With thousands expected each day, the city centre will be extremely busy. Organisers are urging people to walk, cycle, car share or use public transport where possible. Four regular Park and Ride sites will operate from Bridge of Don, Craibstone, P&J Live, and Kingswells. A number of road closures and parking restrictions will be in place around the harbour area, including Castle Street, King Street, Marischal Street, Regent Quay, Blaikies Quay, and Regent Road. Footdee's Pocra Quay and New Pier Road will remain accessible for residents and businesses only. For full maps, transport guidance and ship details, visitors are advised to check the official Tall Ships Aberdeen website.
