Young sailors invited to bid for place on vessels for next year’s Tall Ships event

Budding sailors can now apply for a place on one of the tall ships taking part in next year’s event which visits Lerwick.

Sail Training Shetland has launched the application process for its 2011 scheme, and young people between 15 and 25 are being encouraged to apply early “for the experience of a lifetime” before the deadline of 31st October.

Places will be available on tall ships, smaller traditional ships or modern racing yachts on all legs of next year’s races.

This year 14 trainees were successfully placed on the class A tall ship Christian Radich and the local sail training vessel Swan in the races between Kristiansand, Norway and Hartlepool.

The feedback from trainees was very positive and indicates that demand will be high for places ahead of 2011.

Sail Training Shetland chairman Peter Malcolmson said: “We aim to recruit a good number of trainees to take part and with continued sponsorship and funding support, we hope to offer as many young people the opportunity to participate in this spectacular experience as we can.

“We also look forward to welcoming many of our trainees as crew when they visit Lerwick Harbour between 21st and 24th July 2011 when Shetland will host the tall ships fleet.”

For more information and application forms visit www.sailtrainingshetland.com