Support for young sailors
Almost 30 young people are being supported by Sail Training Shetland as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime in the Tall Ships races 2025.
Sixteen trainees from Shetland will take part in races two, three and four. They will be joined by another 10 trainees from Stornoway.
A total of 20 will trainees sail aboard Shetland’s sail training vessel Swan, while the remaining six gain experience on three larger international vessels.
With the race series returning to the North Sea and Aberdeen featured as a host port, excitement is building for what promises to be a memorable event.
Ten trainees sponsored by Stornoway Port Authority have been sailing in race two aboard Swan from Dunkirk to arrive in Aberdeen for this weekend’s celebrations.
Chairwoman of Sail Training Shetland Melanie Henderson said: “We’re again blown away by the high level of interest from young people to take part in a sail training adventure.
"The enthusiasm shown through the application process was exceptional, making the selections for available placements extremely difficult.
"It is with great pride that we are supporting young trainees to take part in this year’s Tall Ships Races – an experience we know will be both challenging and life-changing – and at the same time continuing our partnership with Stornoway Port Authority to support their trainee logistics.
"We are especially excited to grasp the opportunities to be involved with the Tall Ships Races visiting Aberdeen. As a long-established sail training charity, it is an incredible opportunity to showcase our
maritime heritage with trainees participating onboard Shetland’s flagship vessel Swan to inspire the next generation of sailors.”