A pioneering spirit for an extraordinary race

History of the race

The first race was organised the next year, from Torbay in the South West of England to Lisbon, with 20 sailboats coming from various countries (Argentina, Belgium, France, Italy etc.). The event turned out to be a great success and the media called it the Tall Ships Race, a name which has stuck. With the success of this first year, the organisers decided to repeat the event annually.

The number of sailboats quickly increased and the race gained greater popularity.

In 1972, the competition became sponsored by the drinks company Cutty Sark.

In 2002, the newly formed association « Sail Training International » (STI) became the main organiser of the race, gathering together 26 participating countries. Its representative in France is the Association des Amis des Grands Voiliers.

Nowadays, the Tall Ships Race (TSR) is one of the most prestigious international events in the field of traditional sailing.

Outside the summer months, the Mediterranean race becomes the Tall Ships Regatta and the organiser does not compel the ships to embark under-25 trainees as half of their crew anymore.

Spirit of the race

The competition was conceived and grew with the aim of promoting traditional sailing to youth from all over the world, encouraging them to sail together and create new bonds of solidarity and friendship.

The Tall Ships Regatta differs from the other nautical events through the competing boats’ special features and its rules.

• Every year, the sailors are on board for several weeks. The crews include professional sailors as well as trainees. Such a mix allows for the sharing of marine knowledge with the novices. 
• To determine the winner, criteria such as team spirit and sporting performances are taken into account during the entire event.
• The winner is not necessarily the fastest one. 
• These rules make the Tall Ships Regatta a unique race. 

The itinerary and the geographical areas change depending on the year: Atlantic, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean, Black Sea… The taste for adventure and discovery leads the ships and their sailors to expand their horizons.

Flash back to 2007, an historical first

In 2007 the tall ships anchored in the French Mediterranean for the first time. Toulon then became the very first French port to host this competition!

Organised by the community of Toulon Méditerranée from July 21st to the 24th, the stopover became widely successful with more than 800,000 visitors in 4 days.

• Overall, 44 sailboats docked in Toulon’s port, one of the biggest in the world.
• On board were 2,000 sailors from 16 different nationalities.
• A 4-day party took place, to the delight of visitors and locals.
• An exhibition village with several activities was put together especially for this occasion on the wharf, and water and onshore shows delighted the visitors throughout the stopover.
• The 2007 event also allowed 25 young people from the community to board one of the ships.

Strengthened by this success, TPM has renewed this experience each year since then. In July 2012, 12 young people coming from TPM towns boarded the Santa Maria Manuela for a regatta between Lisbon and Cadiz.

This event generated significant international press coverage, which also had an impact on the local economic network.

At the end of the 2007 event, Toulon was designated as the best stop-over point, awards ceremony, organisation, activities, crowd and the most successful boat bookings.