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25 January 2018


For the eighth consecutive year, Sailonline is delighted to be associated with Promote Shetland for the running of the 2018 virtual race to the annual Up Helly Aa fire festival in Lerwick.

Shetland is a group of about 100 islands off the NE coast of the British mainland, as close to Norway as they are to Aberdeen in Scotland. The islands have been inhabited for about 5000 years and have to this day retained many of the traditions and customs of those who lived there over the centuries. Little is known about the original Pictish people as they appear to have been displaced when the Vikings arrived in the 700s. Over many years there was a strong Viking and Scandinavian influence until the islands were given to Scotland by Norway in the 15th century as part of a royal dowry.

The fire festivals, however, are not so ancient, being dreamed up in the 19th century to serve a dual purpose of raising spirits in the long dark winter and of reminding folk of historic Viking influences. These days Up Helly Aa in Lerwick has become a fairly riotous and colourful fire festival involving almost the entire community, when the streets fill with "guizers" - groups of people in themed disguise - and the Jarl Squad (the Vikings) and a livestream of the event is broadcast over the internet enabling everyone around the globe to join in!


Up Helly Aa: Shetland's Fire Festival Season

About Up Helly Aa
Shetland Webcams

Sailonline’s Race:
Sailonline will be racing Elan 410s from Aberdeen to Lerwick, starting on Monday, 29 January @1100utc. Our route is unchanged from previous years and takes us past Inverness, a mark in the Moray Firth, past Fair Isle and then around several of the islands of Shetland to the finish in Lerwick Harbour. The timing this year is intended to encourage an even bigger virtual participation than before in the festival of Up Helly Aa on the evening of 30 January. The race will open for practice on Tuesday, 24 January at 1100utc.


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