Hartlepool Tall Ships Races 2023: Organisers 'overwhelmed' by visitor numbers as boxing champ Savannah Marshall is confirmed as guest of honour

Organisers have praised the turnout at the Hartlepool Tall Ships Races as the long-awaited event continues.
By Pamela Bilalova
Published 8th Jul 2023, 13:09 BST
Updated 8th Jul 2023, 14:11 BST
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“Many thousands” of people have attended the Tall Ships in Hartlepool so far with visitors coming from as far as Texas and Australia.

Super middleweight champion of the world Savannah Marshall is also now confirmed as making an appearance at the event’s Navigation Point stage from 6.40pm on Saturday.

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Pauline Appleby, from Sail Training International, the organising body behind the races, said: “It’s been a really fantastic few days. The weather has helped. The ships came in to great applause from many people on the quayside.

New undisputed world middleweight boxing champion Savannah Marshall celebrates her points victory over Franchon Crews-Dezurnat AO Arena on July 1.New undisputed world middleweight boxing champion Savannah Marshall celebrates her points victory over Franchon Crews-Dezurnat AO Arena on July 1.
New undisputed world middleweight boxing champion Savannah Marshall celebrates her points victory over Franchon Crews-Dezurnat AO Arena on July 1.

"So many people have been to visit the ships. There has been an overwhelming number of visitors, which has been lovely to see."

The third day of the festival is set to see a mixture of excitement and sadness as crew changes take place.

The ships will be seeing off their previous trainees who raced from Den Helder, in the Netherlands, and will be we welcoming the new trainees on board.

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Ms Appleby said: “Trainees on board of ships that raced from Den Helder will be leaving today which is very sad for them, because they will have really bonded together, they’re like a little family that they would have found.

The event has attracted visitors from across the world.The event has attracted visitors from across the world.
The event has attracted visitors from across the world.

"They will be going home sadly today, so we will have sad faces as they come off the ship, but we will have new trainees arriving so they will be probably a bit anxious, excited.”

After days of hustle and bustle at the seafront and loads of entertainment, the Hartlepool Tall Ships Races will sadly come to an end on Sunday, July 8.

Ships will start undocking as early as 6am on Sunday with the Parade of Sail kicking off at 1pm.

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Then the ships will make their way to the start line, five miles offshore, and the race to Fredrikstad, in Norway, will begin.

Pauline Appleby from Sail Training International has said the past few days have been 'fantastic'.Pauline Appleby from Sail Training International has said the past few days have been 'fantastic'.
Pauline Appleby from Sail Training International has said the past few days have been 'fantastic'.

Twenty-eight ships will set off from Hartlepool in total.

Ms Appleby added: "It’s a bit sad at the end of it, but hopefully everyone will have amazing memories that they can take forward to the next race and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.”

More precise figures about visitor numbers are expected early next week.

Related topics:OrganisersSavannah MarshallHartlepoolTexasAustralia