Hallberg-Rassy 46, Op Stok3, wins a cup in the 2023 Tall Ships Races from Lerwick (Shetlands) to Arendal (Norway)

The Tall Ships Races 2023 will be sailed by 40 ships: cross rigged- , gaff rigged- and demolition rigged ships can participate. On Stok3 is demolition rigged and sails under the flag of Sail Training Association Belgium.

25/072023
Lerwick, is capital of the Shetland Islands and despite a small population of 7500 souls, it seems as if all Shetland residents have descended on the Tall Ships event.
The number of visitors is undoubtedly boosted by a mass of passengers from a three cruise ships calling at the time. The TSR and also the STAB ships are spread across two ports. All sorts of attractions have been organised around the berths. The captains’ dinner takes place in the Town Hall (1883). We are surprised by a personal meeting with H.M. Princes Ann, who also participates in the dinner.

29/07/2023
The departure from Lerwick is chaotic: fog is the culprit so some crew cannot be flown in for the crew change, the sail parade is cancelled and the start line is moved to the first waypoint (90nM from Lerwick).
With limited visibility, at 13h UTC, part of the fleet-including Op Stok3-set off. At the first waypoint, where a virtual start line was established, the exact time of the start moment is noted for each ship. For Op Stok 3, this means 30/07/2023, 18.20h UTC. The race with the team left Lerwick on 29 07 is called the Endurance race. The race with the fleet forced to leave a day later is called the Sprint Race.
The moment we reach the start line the wind drops and we are bobbing for 24h. Late in the evening 31/07/2023 the wind picks up, and eagerly the sails are set. Soon the wind picks up in strength, 6 Bf, with a strong swell, we are now sailing uncomfortably downwind, in danger of jibeing, so we decide to tack all the way to Arendal.
Unfortunately, and to our disappointment, the race is called off at 02 h on 01/08/2023.
The ships’ positions are noted at that time and will serve to calculate the final result.
We are then 214nM away from Arendal. After a short stop in Grimstad, we reach Arendal on 04/08/2023.

05/08/2023
The awards ceremony follows in Arendal, where the Zenobee Gramme (Belgian Navy) is awarded the cup of best rely communicator during the race. To our surprise, two of the STAB boats fall in the Endurance race prizes: Patricia (X yacht 56) first and Op Stok3 (HR 46) second in their class.

On 6 /08/2023, the TSR 2023 will conclude in Arendal, with a sail parade where not many people watch from the shore, but all the more in the hundreds of boats guiding Tall Ships out as the conclusion of their city’s celebrations.

Farewell TSR 2023, varied race full of surprises.

Paul Van den Heuvel, Chairman Sail Training Association Belgium, www.we-sail.be