Polish Ambassador visits national VO70 race training project in Mayflower Marina
Polish racing yacht the ‘I LOVE POLAND’ visited Mayflower Marina in Plymouth for a cultural and educational programme of events, ahead of her journey to Lisbon to start a winter training programme. Plymouth was selected as the desired destination for the sailing and cultural debut of racing yacht. The yacht and her crew set sail from Gdynia, Poland on 6th November and arrived at Mayflower Marina, Plymouth on 14th November.
Polish Ambassador for the UK Arkady Rzegocki (centre), Robert Lubanski (left) of the Polish National Foundation and I Love Poland’s Skipper Jaroslaw Kaczorowski (right) and Manager Darek Pekala (back right). Mayflower Marina
Polish racing yacht the ‘I LOVE POLAND’ visited Mayflower Marina in Plymouth for a cultural and educational programme of events, ahead of her journey to Lisbon to start a winter training programme. Plymouth was selected as the desired destination for the sailing and cultural debut of racing yacht. The yacht and her crew set sail from Gdynia, Poland on 6th November and arrived at Mayflower Marina, Plymouth on 14th November.
Plymouth was chosen as the perfect geographical ‘pit-stop’ for the crew, who are en-route to Lisbon, before they head across the Atlantic in February to begin a series of races in the USA and Caribbean. The yacht is VO70 footer, originally built in New England in 2011-2012 for the Volvo Ocean Race. The ‘I LOVE POLAND’ yacht is an educational and sporting project funded by the Polish National Foundation. The project aims to support young Polish sailors who are launching an international competitive sailing career, particularly in ocean regattas and to promote Polish sailing worldwide.
Whilst in Plymouth the crew took part in a variety of vibrant educational visits and promotional events to promote Polish sailing and culture to a wider audience. The visit included presentations to schools and the local community. The crew also hosted a series of organised ‘open deck’ visitations whilst berthing at Mayflower Marina for combined forces cadets and children of the local Plymouth Polish Saturday School. There was also a visit from the Polish Ambassador to the UK Arkady Rzegocki, who was in Plymouth to commemorate the Polish Airman and Seaman of the Second World War in a memorial service on Plymouth Hoe.
Polish Ambassador Arkady Rzegocki said ” The “I LOVE POLAND” initiative joins a list of wonderful recent Polish-linked endeavours in the UK, including the finale of the round-the-world sail of Szymon Kuczyński and the race for the prestigious Polish Ambassador’s Cup to mark the 75th anniversary of the defence of Cowes by ORP Błyskawica. I am sure that together with the Polish “Dar Młodzieży” tall ship, “I LOVE POLAND” and its journey will be a fitting way to promote the image and history of Poland around the world.”
