events

The Tall Ships Races

The Tall Ships Races are races for sail training "tall ships" (sailing ships). The races are designed to encourage international friendship and training for young people in the art of sailing. The races are held annually in European waters and consists of two racing legs of several hundred nautical miles, and a "cruise in company" between the legs. Over one half (fifty-percent) of the crew of each ship participating in the races must consist of young people.

Between 1973 and 2003 the races were known as The Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races, having been sponsored by Cutty Sark whisky. Since 2004 the races have been supported by The City, Province, and Port of Antwerp.

Participating vessels are manned by a largely cadet or trainee crew who are partaking in sail training, 50 percent of which must be aged between 15–25 years of age and who do not need any previous experience. Thus, tall ship does not describe a specific type of sailing vessel, but rather a monohull sailing vessel of at least 9.4 metres (30 ft) that is conducting sail training and education under sail voyages. Participating ships range from yachts to the large square-rigged sail training ships run by charities, schools and navies of many countries.

The first Tall Ships' race was held in 1956. It was a race of 20 of the world's remaining large sailing ships organized by Bernard Morgan, a London lawyer. The race was from Torquay, Devon to Lisbon, and was meant to be a last farewell to the era of the great sailing ships. Public interest was so intense, however, that race organizers founded the Sail Training International association to direct the planning of future events. Since then Tall Ships' Races have occurred annually in various parts of the world, with millions of spectators. Today, the race attracts more than a hundred ships, among these some of the largest sailing ships in existence. The 50th Anniversary Tall Ships' Races took place during July and August, 2006, and was started by the patron, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who also started the first race in 1956.

Race One starts in Antwerp (Belgium) (Saturday 10 July - Tuesday 13 July) to Aalborg (Denmark) (Wednesday 21 July - Saturday 24 July).

Cruise in company to Kristiansand (Norway) (Thursday 29 July - Sunday 1 August).

Race Two is from Kristiansand to Hartlepool (England) (Saturday 7 August - Tuesday 10 August).

Next is Hartlepool to IJmuiden (Netherlands) 10 August - 18 Augustus, Sail Amsterdam: 19-23 August 2010

Sail Training International (STI) is the international association of some twenty-one national organisations devoted to promoting "the education and development of young people of all nationalities, religions and social backgrounds, through sail training". Besides organising The Tall Ships' Races, STI is the leading provider of races and events, conferences and seminars, publications, research and services for the international sail training community.