The Tall Ships Races 2011 – your chance to climb aboard as a trainee

The Tall Ships Races organised by Sail Training International will bring over 70 Tall Ships and their crews to Waterford from Thursday, June 30-Sunday, July 3, 2011 when over 500,000 visitors are expected in the southeast.

Active participation in the race series as a trainee presents a golden opportunity for adventure at sea and is particularly suited to young people aged 16-25. In fact, at least half each crew must be in this age group.

No prior sailing experience is required while the costs of participating as a trainee are kept to a minimum so that as many young people as possible have the opportunity to participate.

Costs for the 2011 programme will be posted on this site once confirmed but are not currently expected to be more than €750 to include accommodation on the ship prior to and during the race to Greenock as well as the flight back to Ireland.

When they leave Waterford after the Parade of Sail on July 3, 2011, the Tall Ships will race around Ireland’s south, west and north coast to Greenock, Scotland and most Irish trainees will then return home on scheduled flights from Glasgow Airport. Later, there will be a cruise-in-company from Greenock to Lerwick in the Shetland Isles. The second race in the series will then go from Lerwick to Stavanger, Norway from where the third and final race will bring the fleet to Halmstad, Sweden.

‘Standing Tall’ – a short film capturing the trainee experience.

If you’ll be 16 or over by June 30, 2011, are fit and active and interested in sailing as a trainee from Waterford to Greenock (departing July 3, 2011) as part of The Tall Ships Races 2011 then simply provide the basic details below and we’ll keep you posted as further details become available as well as sending you a fuller application form to complete as the event draws nearer –