Lerwick’s popularity with yachting enthusiasts in North-west Europe will be highlighted again next month when participants in two leading North Sea events sail into the Shetland port.

Competitors in the 22nd Sjøassistanse Shetland-Bergen Races, starting in Norway, will be in Lerwick between 19-22 June before setting off on the return race to Bergen. Yachts in the second annual 1000-Mile Doublehanded Race will sail from The Netherlands via Newcastle, to Norway to join in both legs of the Shetland-Bergen event before finishing in Newcastle.

More than 40 yachts are registered to date for the two races, including entries from Belgium, Britain, Germany, Netherlands and Norway.

Sandra Laurenson, Chief Executive of Lerwick Port Authority, said: “It’s great to see these two events coming back again. While the international races and onshore programme make June the highlight of Shetland’s yachting calendar, the warm welcome, modern facilities and Shetland’s many attractions are there throughout the season for all our visiting yachts.”

Annually, more than 400 yachts call at Lerwick where the Authority’s investment in recent years has included expanded berthing and improved access and services.

The yachts competing in the races will be in Lerwick during the annual Johnsmas Foy summer festival (19-29 June), a mid-summer celebration of culture, heritage and natural history, including Shetland’s historical connections with the Hanseatic League which had Bergen amongst its member ports.
Flavour of Shetland will showcase the best of Shetland’s food, drink, music, crafts and culture on the harbour’s Victoria Pier for the four days (19-22 June) the yachts are in port.

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