A significant milestone was reached as 145 local young people left Aberdeen this evening (Fri) to embark on their Tall Ships Races adventure.
Aged between 15 and 25, this diverse group of sail trainees comes from across the city and Aberdeenshire and is bound for Dunkirk in France. There they will join 10 majestic Tall Ships as part of The Tall Ships Races 2025, sailing back into the Granite City for the highly anticipated event from July 19-22.
These young adventurers are part of a larger cohort of 244 successful sail trainees, selected from an overwhelming response of more than 670 hopeful applicants.
The first group will crew vessels departing Dunkirk on Sunday (13 July), arriving in Aberdeen on Friday (19 July). A second group of 99 trainees will board ships in Aberdeen on 22 July, bound for Kristiansand in Norway, with an arrival date of 30 July.
Excitement
Tall Ships Project Manager Emma Wadee said: “This is such an important milestone we've all been working towards, and it makes The Tall Ships arrival now feel incredibly close,” she said.
“Seeing these young people depart, full of anticipation for the adventure ahead, is incredibly rewarding.
“I want to give a massive shout-out to Hollie Weatherhead for her tireless dedication and outstanding work with all the trainees. She is one of a full team of people whose commitment has been absolutely instrumental in making this dream a reality for so many young people.”
The first group of sail trainees departed by coach from Lochside Academy earlier this evening. Among them is Colleen Grains who, having previously sailed in The Tall Ships Races, is acting as a chaperone and mentor aboard the Morgenster.
"I was once just like the other sail trainees – super nervous and unsure what to expect," she said. “I am so excited to share my passion with the sail trainees.”
Twenty-one year-old IT worker and trainee Taylor Lamont is sailing on board the Gulden Leeuw.
“I signed up because I wanted to push myself beyond my comfort zone and do something completely different,” she said.
“What excites me most is the chance to disconnect, learn something new and form real connections with the crew. From what I’ve seen so far, the other trainees share a sense of openness, resilience and excitement for adventure.”
Spectacular celebration
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 returns to the city next week for the first time in nearly 30 years. It is Europe’s largest free family event and has nearly 50 Tall Ships from across the globe as aims to attract 400,000 visits to the city.
The festival, which is running from Saturday and Tuesday (19-22 July), promises a spectacular celebration of maritime heritage, featuring live music, dance, theatre and a dazzling parade of sail.
More than 670 applications to take part as a sail trainee were received after an extensive recruitment campaign. To make it as accessible as possible, nearly half the trainee places are fully funded, thanks to finance secured from key sponsors, generous local businesses and national initiatives.
These voyages offer unique opportunities for personal development, teamwork and cultural exchange. No prior sailing experience was required to apply and the opportunity has been designed to be inclusive, diverse and accessible.
The Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 received funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and is also supported through EventScotland’s International Events Funding Programme.
Further details of sponsors can be seen here.
- Main image: Hollie Weatherhead and the trainees wave "see you soon" as they head to Dunkirk to join the Tall ships fleet
