Suhaili to return to Falmouth

From press release: In what is sure to be a colourful and historic sight, a special ‘Suhaili Falmouth 50 Parade of Sail’ will take place in the award-winning town on Thursday June 14th 2018. The date is significant as it celebrates the day world-renowned sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston set out from Falmouth to win the original Golden Globe Race and in doing so, become the first person to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world 50 years before.

The 2018 event, organised by the Falmouth Town Team and the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club where Sir Robin stepped ashore on his return half a century ago, promises to be quite a spectacle. Sailing aboard his famous yacht Suhaili, Sir Robin will lead Bernhard Moitessier’s famous French yacht Joshua, Sir Francis Chichester’s Gipsy Moth IV and Sir Alec Rose’s Lively Lady in a parade of sail around Falmouth harbour saluted by those competing in the 2018 Golden Globe Race skippers and many other vessels on the day.

Commenting on the Suhaili Falmouth 50 Parade of Sail, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said:
“I am really looking forward to returning to Falmouth with Suhaili after so many years. I’m very supportive of the 2018 Golden Globe Race and will enjoy meeting these skippers and pacing Suhaili against at least one replica yacht and the other traditional designs in this modern day equivalent of the original Sunday Times Golden Globe Race”

Other celebratory activities and events are being organised by the town to coincide. Mayor of Falmouth Councillor Grenville Chappell said:
“It is a privilege to welcome ‘home’ Sir Robin and his record-breaking yacht Suhaili. The people of Falmouth view his historic achievements with an enormous sense of pride as was evident 50 years ago when thousands lined the streets to cheer him back into port. What Sir Robin has done for the world of sailing is remarkable and much of it resonates with Falmouth’s strong maritime heritage. We very much look forward to hosting the parade of sail and watching the historic fleet sail in Falmouth Bay once again.”

The Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (RCYC) based in Falmouth who of course have a long and proud association with Sir Robin’s historic achievements, will be co-ordinating the Parade of Sail and organising a pre-parade dinner for the participating sailors. The RCYC Commodore Bob Collings said: “Sir Robin started his epic voyage all those years ago from our Club and we look forward once again to welcoming him and all the other competitors. It was an historic achievement especially as he did not have all the modern technology that is available today.”

Following the parade of sail, the historic boats, along with around 30 other traditional long-keeled yachts and their skippers, will then participate in the SitRaN (Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience) nominated charity challenge race to Les Sables d’Olonne, France as a warm-up to a new 50th anniversary Golden Globe Race which will commence from there on Sunday 1st July 2018.