Tall Ships:
The Regatta is organised by Sail Training International and is the centrepiece of year-long celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the first settlement on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The big regatta Tall ships, begins in Ílhavo and navigates towards Madeira. Falmouth to Ilhavo (Port of Aveiro) is some 630 nautical miles southsouth-west. With Ushant (north west France) and Cape Finisterre (north west Spain) to negotiate, and the prevailing winds from the west to north west, the first leg of the race may still present a number of tactical challenges for the fleet. This will be particularly true for the square-rigged ships which cannot sail as close to the wind as those with fore-and-aft rigs. Ilhavo to Funchal is a further 630 nautical miles southwest across open sea, but the tactical challenges to play wind and current to best advantage may be just as critical in determining the end result.
Tall ships of this regatta are: Sedov – Russia, Alexander von Humboldt – Germany, Astrid – Netherlands, Capitan Miranda –Uruguay, Challenger 1 and 4 –United Kingdom, Creoula – Portugal, Cuauhtémoc – Mexico, Endeavour – United Kingdom, Gedania – Poland,Juan de Langara – Espanha, Mir – Russia, Pelican of London – United Kingdom, Pogoria –Poland, Quero-Quero - Portugal, Shabad Oman – Oman, Spaniel – Latvia, Tecla – Netherlands.