18 young Shetlanders to set sail on second race of The Tall Ships Races 2011

More than 2,000 international crew were met with a traditional Shetland greeting as they came ashore for the Welcoming Ceremony, the first in a packed programme of events taking place as part of the four day maritime festival, The Tall Ships Races 2011–Lerwick.

But as visitors from countries as far afield as Colombia were welcomed to Lerwick, 18 budding sailors from Shetland are preparing to depart on Tall Ships today to participate in the second race of the Tall Ships Races, sailing to Stavanger, Norway.

10 of the young trainees will be setting sail on board Sorlandet, whilst eight will participate on Shetland’s own Tall Ship, Swan. Sorlandet, built in 1927 in Kristiansand, is 64 meters long and is the oldest full-rigged ship in operation in the world. She will host trainees Jack Henderson (18), Kylie Wood (20), Maggie Adamson (19), Rory Goodlad (15), Symone Duddy (18), David Arthur (18), Emma Inkster (21), Kerry Wood (20), Sarah Stott (24) and Shona Duerden (18).

In 2009, Jack Henderson, 18, from Lerwick was onboard Swan during The Small Ships’ Races to Belfast, an opportunity that gave him a taste for the open sea, an experience he hopes to build upon at this year’s Tall Ships Races.

Jack will joined by fellow sail trainee from Lerwick, Kylie Wood aboard Sorlandet for the second race of the event.

Although Kylie, 20, has never been sailing before, she hopes to immerse herself in the experience as well as enjoy the event’s celebration of musical traditions and magnificent scenery.

Swan, built in Lerwick in 1900, is 26 meters long, and has participated in numerous Tall Ships Races and traditional boat festivals following its restoration in 1995 by the Swan Trust. Swan will welcome Amy Sandison (16), Daniel Aquilina (17), Daniel Hughson (17), Emma Cree-Hay (16), Emma Rochester (17), John William Arthur (19), Persephone Poulton (16) and Stuart Ferguson (15).

Over 45 young people from all over Shetland will taste life on the ocean wave this summer as they take part in the sail training experience with placements on seven Tall Ships during The Tall Ships Races 2011, presented by Szczecin, organised by Sail Training International.

This year, the trainees will also have the opportunity to record their efforts and experiences on The Tall Ships Races 2011 – Lerwick blog which is located on the website www.tallshipsraceslerwick.com. Populated in a diary style, the trainees will be blogging about their daily tasks and trials together with photographs of the ports they visit and images of their crew members.

The Tall Ships Races, presented by Szczecin, organised by Sail Training International - a charity with a purpose in the development and education of young people, regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social background, takes place in European waters every year, where the Ships either race or cruise in company between ports.