The first participants in the 2010 Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta have arrived in Bulgaria’s largest Black Sea port of Varna even though most were delayed by the lack of strong winds.

The first boats to arrive in Varna on Thursday were “The Hansa” from Spain, the Russian boat “Akela”, the Ukrainian “Tamara”, the Turkish “Bodrum”, and the Greek vessels “Mythos” and “Adonis”.

All of the rest of the 22 participants sailing under the flags of 16 nations, including Bulgaria’s barquentine Kaliakra are expected to arrive by noon on Friday. The formal ceremony for the welcoming of the Regatta in Varna is scheduled for 2:30 pm on Friday. This is the first time that a Bulgarian port is part of the Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta.

In a press conference in Varna Thursday, the Director of the Regatta, Peter Newell, said that about 200 000 tourists visited the 22 boats while they were on anchor in Volos, Greece.

The 22 boats set off from the Greek port of Volos on May 12, 2010. The 2010 Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta is taking place in May and early June 2010. Leg one of the Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta will follow the route, according to legend, of Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece from Volos, Greece (May 12-15) through the Dardanelles into the Black Sea. The next port of call will be Varna, Bulgaria (May 21-24), departing on the country's National Day (May 24).

From there the fleet will race to Istanbul, Turkey (May 27-30), where the Regatta will be a centrepiece of the city's celebrations of its designation as European Capital of Culture in 2010. From there the fleet will cruise and race to Lavrion, Greece (June 4-7) close to Athens and a wealth of other historical and cultural sites in the region of Attica.

Bulgaria’s “Black Sea capital” Varna expects a record number of some 200 000 to visit the Tall Ships Regatta sailing boats on bay at its port between May 21 and May 24. The local authorities and business have organized a number of events to celebrate the city’s inclusion in the regatta such as parades, concerts, open-door tours.

The Tall Ships' Races are races for sail training "tall ships" designed to encourage international friendship and training for young people in the art of sailing. The races are held annually in European waters and consists of two racing legs of several hundred nautical miles, and a "cruise in company" between the legs.

Between 1973 and 2003 the races were known as The Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Races, having been sponsored by Cutty Sark whiskey. Since 2004 the races have been supported by The City, Province, and Port of Antwerp.

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