Gdynia Maritime University GMU

Dar Młodzieży placed 2nd during the Second Stage of the Magellan-Elcano Tall Ships Races. This year's special edition of the regatta took place to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the first voyage around the world - the expedition of Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian de Elcano.

The race, which began on 19 August 2023, was divided into two stages: Falmouth - A Coruna and Lisbon - Cadiz. In the first stage of the regatta, a distance of 400 nautical miles, Gdynia Maritime University's sail training ship took 2nd place. After reaching the Portuguese capital in preparation for the 2nd stage, the crew of the White Frigate took part in a three-day rally, which ended with a parade of units on the Tag River. The ships set sail for Cadiz from Lisbon on 3rd September 2023 for what was initially planned as a second stage amounting to 220 nautical miles but was reduced almost by half due to poor weather conditions. The remaining 120 miles were completed first by the racing yacht Challenge Wales, which crossed the finish line after 13 hours and 25 minutes. Dar Młodzieży came in second, in under 15 hours.

I can only speak positively of the students. It was their first time on Dar Młodzieży and they got an A, commented Commander Rafał Szymański.  We have been told by members of other crews that we should feel the moral winners of the race. The Dar was the biggest vessel taking part in the regatta and made the best use of the unfavourable conditions at sea.  

In this way, 116 first-year students from the Faculty of Navigation completed their first-ever seafarer training. In Cadiz, they were replaced by their senior colleagues from the Faculty, who will spend the next two months on board the ship. From Portugal, Dar Młodzieży set a course for Cape Verde and will continue towards zero degrees latitude, where the "White Frigate" will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the crossing of the equator by the first ship under the Polish flag - the sailing ship Lwów, the Maritime School's training ship during the years 1921-1930.