A Chatham-based vessel has won the International Tallship Races across the Baltic – 35 years after first taking part in the annual event.

The Morning Star of Revelation beat off competition from 103 of the world’s largest and most formidable tallships from 37 countries.

Morning Star’s young crew powered the gaff-rigged ketch through 650 miles of the Baltic’s fickle weather and seas from Aahus in Denmark to victory at Helsinki, Finland.

She was skippered by the Rev Steve Morgan, now a parish priest in Wiltshire, who is one of Morning Star’s longest-serving skippers and previously led the crew of Arethusa when she was based on the Medway.

His crew included three young women from Strood – Danielle Crothers, Emma Young and Rachel Adams.

Ted North, chief executive of the Morning Star Trust, said: “After 35 years of competing in the challenging tallship races, we’re overwhelmed at the success.

“Most of the trainees have little previous sailing experience, which says much about the teamwork and co-ordination that the skipper and crew are able to infuse and develop in the few days available to prepare before a race.”

Over the years Morning Star has put up some remarkable performances and has invariably been among the leaders in most races.

In 2001, she competed in the gruelling 8,000-mile round-the-Atlantic tallship race. Despite being one of the smallest vessels to compete and as always up against the world’s most powerful tallships, Morning Star achieved second place overall.

She’s raced in Scandinavia, across Biscay to Spain, around Britain, and in the North Sea, acquiring quite a collection of trophies along the way.

But the races are never easy: violent weather with galeforce winds and boiling seas can blow away sails, smash bowsprits and bend deck-fittings while inducing the most severe seasickness.

Morning Star is presently sailing in the Baltic and will be returning to her home berth at Chatham Maritime in August – but only for a couple of days before joining other small ships (the Class 3 tallships) for their annual race which this year is from Ipswich to Cowes.