Society

10:20, 12.08.2008 | Primorye Territory

The Russian sailing ship Pallada was greeted by hundreds of residents of Vladivostok on Monday as it arrived in Russia's largest port on the Pacific after completing a journey around the world.

The Pallada's trip lasted over nine months. The journey was dedicated to the 190th anniversary of a round-the-world voyage by Russian ships led by Faddei Bellinsgauzen and Mikhail Lazarev, as well as 50 years of Russian research in Antarctica.

The ship, with 121 marine cadets on board, covered over 34,400 nautical miles and visited 19 countries. The 18-year-old vessel crossed the western part of the Pacific Ocean, passed by Australia, and sailed through the Panama Canal, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean.

The three-mast Pallada is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the fastest sailing vessel in the world, with a speed exceeding 18 knots.

The sailing ship, the winner of many international festivals and races, has performed over 100 international trips over 13 years. It has also been visited by many famous people, including Jackie Chan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.


RIA Novosti