Tall Ships' Races are run by Sail Training International. These are fantastically successful events bringing together thousands of young people from around the world where they meet, sail and compete together. The success of this enterprise can be measured by the fact that Sail Training International has been nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. See Sail Training website.
A 'Tall Ship' is not necessarily one of the glamorous square-riggers. Entry is open to any monohull sailing vessel of more than 9.14m waterline length, provided that at least 50 percent of the crew are aged between 15 and 25 years and that the vessel meets Sail Training International's safety equipment requirements.
Where is the 2009 Race Going?
The 2009 Race will start in a major UK port, yet to be confirmed, then on to Vigo in Spain, then race to Tenerife, Bermuda and the east coast of USA. There are stop overs in Boston and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The final leg is to Belfast and then return to our home port of Southampton.
See Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 website.
Media Coverage
As you can imagine, the spectacle of the large square-rigged Sailing ships, together with modern sail training yachts (most of which are significantly larger than the average leisure yacht) attracts thousands of spectators. The start of these events at each stop-over port receives long and detailed television coverage, combining aerial views with crew interviews. The underlying theme of adventure at sea, coupled with the youth of most of the crew members, proves to be a compelling one for audiences. In previous races, Rona II has been featured a number of times on television and in the press (including, in 1998, an hour-long documentary) and our media file is available for review.