MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tall ships regatta scheduled to call in Punta Arenas next summer

A tall ships regatta to commemorate the 200 anniversary of Chile’s independence from colonial Spain has been organized for the summer of 2010. The idea is similar to that of the United States in 1976, when tall ships from all over the world gathered for the bicentennial.

In this case, according to the a presentation by the Chilean Navy in Punta Arenas, 24 countries have been invited to participate in the four month event that is scheduled to begin in Brazil in February 2010 and contour the South American continent ending June in Veracruz, Mexico.

The idea of the “The South America Tall Ships 2010 Regatta” was born in 2004 following talks between the Chilean and Argentine navies which coordinate the annual passage of the school vessels “Esmeralda” and “Libertad”.

At least twelve countries among which Colombia, Uruguay, Peru, Mexico, Russia, India have confirmed their participation in the regatta that will be calling in three Chilean and three Argentine ports.

In Chile tall ships will visit Punta Arenas, Talcahuano and Valparaíso and in Argentina, Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata and Ushuaia.

The Chilean Navy command in Punta Arenas said that when the tall ships arrive 4.000 crew members will be visiting the city in the extreme south of Chile.