Italian tall ship battles high winds

Southerlies gusting to 65 knots battered the Italian tall ship Amerigo Vespucci before its arrival in Wellington yesterday.

A flotilla of around 30 craft welcomed the 72-year-old vessel, once described as the world's most beautiful tall ship.

The Amerigo Vespucci arrived in New Zealand in October and its visit to Wellington coincides with the official visit of Italian naval chief Admiral Marcello De Donno.

Built as a training ship by the Italian Navy in 1931, the steel-hulled boat spent the past three days battling strong winds that averaged 45 knots.

Since October, the Amerigo Vespucci has been based at Auckland as part of the support for the Louis Vuitton Cup campaigns of Italian sailing syndicates Prada and Mascalzone Latino.

The ship circled Somes Island in Wellington Harbour in remembrance of Italians who were detained there during World War II.

- NZPA