Shetland Race under way

ORGANISERS of this year’s Shetland Race expect most of the yachts competing to arrive in Lerwick harbour as early as Thursday due to favourable north east winds.

Forty four crossed the starting line at Bergen, in Norway, at 1pm local time with  Solo taking an early lead.

When she last participated in the race in 2012, Solo and her two-man crew was the first yacht to reach Lerwick – and they will be hoping to repeat that success this year.

Competitors this year also include two Swedish yachts with 12 crew each, the Cutting Edge I and Cutting Edge II.

The 250 crew members on board the yachts will spend the weekend in Lerwick prior to departing for the return leg on Sunday morning.

The yachts’ progress can be followed online at: http://shetland-race.no/