Second Plenary Session

Sail Training International's new Chief Executive was introduced to the conference and spoke about the challenges that lay ahead of the organisation. He spoke of the main focus on the next 12 months being to improve the finances so that the organisation can improve activities with host ports, sail training organisations and vessels and get more young people onto sail training voyages.

The city and port of Szczecin were thanked for being the presenting sponsor of The Tall Ships Races for the next four years on a rolling basis. As part of Szczecin's commitment to sail training, they recruited some 78 trainees from the city to take part in The Tall Ships Races 2009 and by way of engaging them they recruited a juggler to help break down barriers and encourage participation. Lukasz Wojcik took the delegates through their paces with a step by step introductory lesson on how to juggle. All delegates were provided with a set of three balls.

The Sail Training International year was reviewed with a look at the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge and The Tall Ships Races Baltic which had taken place in 2009. Both events were extremely successful with over 10 million people around the world having had a chance to see the ships and hear about sail training. Click here to view the presentation.

In 2010, four events are to be held starting in April with the Garibaldi Tall Ships Regatta, followed by the Historical Seas Tall Ships Regatta in May and early June. The Tall Ships Races will then be held in July and early August, to be followed by the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta which is aimed at linking the Races with Sail Amsterdam.