Sea Stallion Skipper is Sailor of the Year in Ireland
The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde has put its marine archaeological research project on the world map yet again. This time with a Skipper who is Ireland’s International Sailor of the Year.
The world’s largest reconstruction of a Viking ship and its crew of 61 men and women had, for once, to take a back seat.
This happened when Sea Stallion Skipper, Carsten Hvid, accepted on behalf of the Danish marine archaeological project, Thoroughbred of the Sea, and not least on behalf of the crew, Ireland’s most prestigious maritime prize, the “Cork Dry Gin International Sailing Award” in Dublin today.
“I am very proud indeed to accept this award because it is also for the crew, who with good seamanship and under extremely tough conditions endured the cold and almost unceasing rain for six weeks in the summer of 2007. They made this scientific project possible, and we must now complete it by making the journey home to Denmark this summer,” said Carsten Hvid.
With this award, the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde once again demonstrates its ability to attract international attention to this floating research project. Last year several million people worldwide were able to watch the dramatic events that followed in the wake of the ship during its voyage from Roskilde to Dublin, round the north of Scotland through some of the most dangerous waters in the world – with no motor – just a square sail and 60 oars.
When the Sea Stallion arrived in Dublin last summer, several hundred thousand people lined the harbour to cheer the Danish-Irish ship.
The Sea Stallion has spent the winter at the Irish National Museum, which must relinquish its borrowed jewel on 29 June 2008, when an international crew with a lot of Danish and Irish seamen will sail the ship home again.
Background: The Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year Award was created in 1996. It represents everything that is commendable, innovative and epoch-making in the world of Irish sailing. Every month throughout the year, one or two people are nominated for the award of Sailor of the Year.
A panel of journalists and people from the world of sailing selects the winner from amongst those nominated.
By: Preben Rather Sørensen