It is a good year for anniversaries, especially in the world of tall ships. The race series celebrates its 50th birthday and many of that fleet reach a significant age as well. And most of all, the whole concept of what a 'tall ship' actually is has changed completely. What was meant by 'tall ship' 40 years ago had, in essence, remained unaltered for 1 00 years or more. Icons such as HMS Victory and Cutty Sark were - and still are - primary exemplars of the common perception of a tall ship. Eric Newby's The Last Grain Race showed the end of the era of the tall ship as sailing cargo vessel with the Russian barque Kruzenshtern, formerly Padua and 80 years old this year, the best surviving example of one of these final cargo vessels.
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