A sailing initiative aimed at Irish participation in next year's Tall Ships Races in Waterford has been announced by a newly formed national organisation Sail Training Ireland.

Since the sinking of the Asgard II and the decision to wind up Coiste An Asgard, the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) has been facilitating a steering group with the aim of establishing 'Sail Training Ireland'.

The steering group has been working with Sail Training International to establish a sustainable organisation that will work with training providers and host ports to build Ireland's Sail Training Programme in the future.

The Tall Ships Race that visited Belfast last year is due to return to Waterford in 2011 and Dublin in 2012 is clear recognition by the race organisers of Ireland's popularity as a destination, and a credit to the host ports who are able to facilitate such a great occasion.

The working group are preparing for the launch of Sail Training Ireland in a few weeks and are currently putting together a feasibility study and business plan for the organisation that may be presented to the Minister in the New Year.

Sail Training International has awarded a bursary to Sail Training Ireland which will provide funding to support the participation of young people in The Tall Ships Races 2011 and 2012.

"The small group that has been working on this will put together a sensible, practical but ambitious plan to ensure the legacy of Coiste an Asgard...." explains Nigel Rowe, Chairman of Sail Training International, "....it will enable Irish youth to continue to benefit from the sail training experience".

Sheila Tyrrell, Chair of the steering group, who has a long history with sail training and in particular the Asgard remarks "The bursary from Sail Training International is very welcome and endorses the credibility of our plans to re-establish a national sail training programme. The steering group will be in a position to effect the launch of Sail Training Ireland this side of Christmas."

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Previewing Ireland's Tall Ships 2011 Season

Can Ireland Get a New Tall Ship?

Waterford City will host day and night-time festivities, culminating with the 'Parade of Sail' on 3 July. On that day the fleet will set-sail down the Suir Estuary and head around Ireland's western seaboard on the first race leg bound for Greenock, Scotland.

The following 'Class A' (the largest tall ships) are so far confirmed: Christian Radich (Norway), Eendracht (Netherlands), Europa (Netherlands), Kaliakra (Bulgaria), Lord Nelson (UK), Pogoria (Poland), Royalist (UK) and the Wylde Swan from The Netherlands.

In 'Class B' vessels include the Jolie Brise, Maybe, Moosk, Provident, Swan, Spirit of Fairbridge, all from the UK. The category also includes Gedania (Poland), John Laing (UK), Ocean Spirit of Moray (UK) and Spaniel (Latvia) and two vessels from Belgium, the Rupel and Tomidi.

In addition the Dutch Urania is the first 'Class D' entrant to register for the Waterford event.

The Tall Ships Races is presented by Szczecin and organised by Sail Training International. Further information on participating as a sail trainee in The Tall Ships Races 2011 contact 051 849640 or www.waterfordtallshipsrace.ie and www.facebook.com/enjoywaterford

Looking for further reading on Tall Ships in Ireland? Click the links below:

Click this link to read all our Tall Ships Stories on one handy page

Previewing Ireland's Tall Ships 2011 Season

Can Ireland Get a New Tall Ship?

The Jubilee Sailing Trust's (JST) three-masted 'flagship' STS Lord Nelson arrived into Dublin today (Wednesday) as part of her sail-training programme. The barque is one of over 30 tall ships so far confirmed out of an expected 70 entrants for next year's Tall Ships Races starting from Waterford, writes Jehan Ashmore.

In the 'A' class tall ships (the large square-rigged vessels) the Lord Nelson will be sharing this category with a further six ships representing these impresssive vessels to include Christian Radich, Europa and the Polish Pogoria, which also called to Dublin recently.

The Lord Nelson will participate in the first race between Waterford and Greenock. From the Scottish port the tall ships will 'Cruise-In-Company' to Lerwick, the capital of the Shetland Islands. The race then crosses the North Sea to Stavanger, Norway and the final leg is to culminate in the Swedish west coast port of Halmstad in early August.

The Lord Nelson was designed by Colin Mudie and is specifically constructed to enable people of all physical abilities to sail side-by-side as equals. The vessel has an overall length of 54.7m and when under canvas (1,024m2) that's all 18 sails, Lord Nelson can achieve around 10 knots.

In addition to Lord Nelson, the JST which is run as a registered charity operates the SV Tenacious. Likewise this barque is designed for the same purpose and they can claim to be the only tall ships in the world having this distinction of providing sailing opportunities for all.

Since the charity started in 1978, over 36,000 people have sailed with the trust. Of those, over 24,000 people have sailed onboard Lord Nelson, which was launched in 1986, and 12,000 have sailed on Tenacious which was launched in 2000.

The countdown for the Waterford Tall Ships Races 2011 continues with less than 281 days to go!...The prestigious event is organised by Sail Training International in association with Szczecin.

Looking for further reading on Tall Ships in Ireland? Click the links below:

Click this link to read all our Tall Ships Stories on one handy page

Previewing Ireland's Tall Ships 2011 Season

Can Ireland Get a New Tall Ship?