All go for another Bergen-Shetland yacht race
Lerwick Harbour’s increasing popularity as a port-of-call for yachts will receive a boost next week with the arrival of crews in a familiar international event.
Entrants in the two-leg Bergen-Shetland Race will leave Norway on Wednesday 21 June, with the first expected to reach Lerwick the following day.
There are currently 43 yachts registered to take part – up on previous years – with late registration for the 34th staging closing on Saturday (17 June). Approximately 220 crew are expected to be on board, with two-thirds of the boats new entries, including German and Swedish vessels.
There is an extra incentive for competitive crews this year, with the event counting as a qualifier for the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race in late-July.
After a weekend enjoying Shetland’s attractions and hospitality, crews will start the race from Lerwick on the return leg to Bergen at 0800hrs Sunday 25 June, vacating the Victoria North pontoon which will then be used by tenders for cruise ship, AIDAsol. The departure will provide an extra spectacle for visitors on board.
Harbourmaster, Captain Alexander Simpson, said: “It will be great to see the yachts back again, with the event firmly re-established in our calendar as a feature of our involvement in marine tourism. The number of first-time entries is very encouraging. Old friends and new are assured of a warm Shetland welcome during another busy season.”
Lerwick welcomed 590 yachts in 2022, up 310% on the previous year, with activity recovering from the Covid-19 outbreak which saw the Bergen-Shetland Race cancelled in 2020.
