Lerwick Harbour will welcome more than 50 international yacht crews next week for the high point of the sailing season at the popular Shetland port.
Fifteen yachts are already underway in a challenging new event, the 1,000 Mile Doublehanded Race which started in Ijmuiden, in the Netherlands, on Sunday with crews from Norway, Britain, Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands en route for Bergen, Norway.
There, on Wednesday 20 June, they will join entrants in the VisitShetland-Bergen Races for the 20th anniversary of the round-voyage to Lerwick where they will be berthed from 21-24 June.
Sandra Laurenson, Lerwick Port Authority Chief Executive, said: “The anniversary and the introduction of the new race make this year’s high point in the Shetland yachting calendar extra special and will add to the reputation of the port which attracts more than 450 yachts annually.
“Onshore events and the recently opened Shetland Museum and Archives – a tremendous addition to visitor facilities – are among the many attractions for the crews.”
The visit coincides with Flavour of Shetland, on the port’s Victoria Pier, showcasing the very best in the islands food, drink, music, craft and culture, and part of Johnsmas Foy, Shetland’s summer festival, with a programme celebrating the fishing heritage.