The general public can get a taste of the unique event by the quays of Antwerp from 10 to 13 July. Not only are the Tall Ships moored here, numerous activities are planned for young and old.

A selection of activities:

Saturday 10 July 2010

• Official opening by Patrick Janssens, the mayor of Antwerp, followed by performances by Flemish artists

Sunday 11 July 2010

• Crew sports competition (10 am to 6 pm, Park Spoor Noord with a tug-of-war final at the Waagnatie)
• Rowing regatta (Kattendijkdok)
• Broadcast of the Football World Cup final on a large screen (7.30 pm, Waagnatie)

Monday 12 July 2010

• Crew Parade through Antwerp's city centre (from Waagnatie to the Grote Markt)
• Musical spectacle Aquaphonia (10 pm, Waagnatie)

Tuesday 13 July 2010

• Sailing Parade (4 pm to 5 pm)

You can find more information about the events soon here. To be updated you can register to the newsletter here.

Fleet of hundreds of ships

Antwerp will be expecting about 100 Tall Ships, including the world's largest sailing vessels, from 10 to 13 July 2010. However, a Tall Ship isn't always a glamorous sailing mastodon. All sailing ships with a hull of at least 9.14 metres water line length can take part in the Tall Ships Races provided that they meet the conditions for the renowned sailing competition enforced by Sail Training International. They all have youngsters on board for unique sailing training.

Training ships

Most training sailing ships are owned by charities, universities, local authorities or other institutions. The owners generally try to ensure that society is reflected in the make-up of the crew. This is expressed in an interesting mix of ages, cultures, religions, languages and social backgrounds. Some ships are even especially equipped to take on participants with a disability.