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Flags Flying as Crews Parade for Opening of the 30th Atlantic Rally for Cruisers



The count down to the start of the 30th ARC has begun with the opening ceremony for ARC 2015 today in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, homeport for the rally since 1986. With one week to go before the ARC 2015 fleet set sail from Las Palmas for Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia, crews from the 179 yachts already berthed in the marina took part in colourful parade of nations, to mark the opening of this year’s rally.

Flag bearers from 30 different nations representing the countries of the yachts in this year’s rally, joined with hundreds of ARC crews, and led by a marching band, paraded around the marina, creating a festival atmosphere. The international sailors were then welcomed officially to the port of Las Palmas, Juan Francisco Martin director comercial de la Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Jose Eduardo Ramirez representing the concejal de Ciudad de mar del Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Consejera de Turismo del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Señorita Inés Jiménez then wished them all a safe crossing of the Atlantic to Saint Lucia. 

As a mark of respect for the lives lost, and in support of the people of Paris affected by the terrible events on Friday night, flags on all public buildings in Spain are being flown at half-mast today. In solidarity, as World Cruising Club’s Managing Director Andrew Bishop declared the 30th ARC officially ‘Open’, flags were raised and then lowered again to half-mast, before the crew’s observed a minutes silence. After spontaneous applause from all watching, the traditional fireworks echoed around Las Palmas Marina concluding the Opening Ceremony for ARC 2015.

The fiesta then moved along to the marina fuel dock as both ARC participants and locals, took to the water in a variety of craft, for Don Pedro’s famous International Dinghy Race. The race across the marina encourages crews, dressed in a variety of fancy dress costumes, to use any tactics they like to outwit their opponents. Water bombs and flour missiles were commonplace! One boat even brought their golden retriever dog, suitably dressed in costume, to join in the fun afloat.

In the first week of ARC activities in Las Palmas, crews have enjoyed daily social events, seminars on cruising topics and the opportunity to plant another 200 trees in the ARC Forest in the mountains above the city. The second week of the pre-start programme is the busiest, as more crew fly in and the yachts start their provisioning and finish off last minute preparations for the Atlantic crossing.

Start day for the ARC fleet is Sunday 22 November, and thousands of spectators will line the city shore to watch the boats start. The first start gun will sound at 1230 for the Multihulls, followed by the Racing boats at 1245 and then the cruising boats, making up the majority of the ARC fleet, at 1300.

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