ONE of Europe’s biggest classic sailing ship races is due to visit Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour Marina on Thursday.

The Race of the Classics will see a flotilla of 18 tall ships leaving Rotterdam, heading for Ostend, before sprinting over to Ramsgate, the only British stop on the route, and, from there, the ships will spend the night in Ramsgate, before returning to Amsterdam. All the stops on the route are weather and tides permitting.

The race is now into its 19th year and is organised by students, with the ships crewed by a mixture of international students, accompanied by professional sailors, all competing for the Heineken Challenge Cup. It is the largest event of its kind in Europe to involve non-professionals on tall ships.

Head of Maritime Services, Dominic Evans, said: "The Race of the Classics is a stunning sight and we are hoping that the weather will hold for us this year, allowing the flotilla of tall ships to make their first stop in Ramsgate for three years.

"The last time they visited us in 2004, they attracted huge crowds to welcome the students and sailors to the country. If you haven’t had a chance to see the ships before, it’s well worth a visit."