Borough bids to host Tall Ships Race

THE ROYAL Borough of Greenwich has submitted a bid to host the annual Tall Ships Race.

If successful, Woolwich would be a host port in the 2016 race, which is organised by Sail Training International.

The bid to host the race comes as the council tries to build a legacy from interest in this summer’s Sail Royal Greenwich event.

A report presented to councillors on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee last week says that “12,000 individuals and 1,500 corporate customers took the opportunity” to see London from Sail Royal Greenwich’s 14-ship fleet that sailed daily from Woolwich during this summer’s Olympics.

A five-person bid delegation including Councillor Chris Roberts, Councillor Peter Kotz, who has cabinet responsibility for Culture, the Chief Executive of Greenwich Council and two council officers travelled to Riga in Latvia two weeks ago for the Sail Training International and Tall Ships Conference.

A spokesperson for the Royal Borough of Greenwich commented:

“Developing the Royal Borough as the home for Tall Ships in London would provide an excellent boost to this sector of the economy. The conference is the only event of its kind, and presented a unique opportunity to promote the borough and its attractions to a global audience of Tall Ships Operators and to meet with other ports.

“It provided an opportunity to study and learn from other host ports the requirements of hosting regattas and races on a large scale. As a result of attendance at the conference, contact was made with Tall Ship Operators and the potential for further visits was discussed.”

Greenwich Council also says it is developing a proposal for a Tall Ship regatta at Woolwich in 2014.

The first Tall Ships Race took place in 1956 with twenty tall ships sailing from Torquay to Lisbon.

• See also: Greenwich tall ships