Pallada sailing ship to leave Honolulu

Russian sailing vessel Pallada, making an international expedition, will leave Honolulu (Hawaii) on Wednesday to head for its home port of Vladivostok in Russia's Far East, a spokesman for the ship's owner said. The ship, carrying over 100 cadets from Russia's Far Eastern Primorye Territory and Kamchatka Region, sailed from Vladivostok on July 1. During the expedition, the Pallada has called at seven ports in the United States and Canada. The trip is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yury Gagarin's space flight and the 270th anniversary of the discovery of "Russian America" by Russian seafarers. The spokesman for the ship's owner, the Far Eastern State Technical Fishing University, said each port has left "pleasant memories" for the expedition members that "will be remembered for a long time." The sailing vessel is expected to arrive in Vladivostok on October 8. The Pallada was built in 1989 in Poland. In its 22-year history, the Pallada has sailed for 12 years, called at 101 ports in 35 countries and trained 12,000 cadets, midshipmen and students from all over Russia. Guinness World Records lists the Pallada as the fastest sailing ship in the world. The vessel can reach speeds in excess of 18 knots.