A TALL Ships race to Bermuda has been planned for 2009, the event designed to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the island's founding by Sir George Somers.

The event is being organised by Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge Limited, an arm of Sail Training International Company, a charity dedicated to the development and education of young people through sail training.

The Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 will begin in northern Europe in late April or early May, and will see ships visit the Iberian peninsula before travelling on to Bermuda, the eastern coast of the United States and Canada. The ships are expected to return to Europe sometime in late August.

"Sail Training is an adventure activity for people of all ages and abilities," a Sail Training International spokesperson said. "It includes instruction in all aspects of sailing but its purpose goes far beyond this. Sail training uses the experience of being at sea principally as a means to help people learn about themselves, discover hidden strengths and talents and understand the value of others and of working as a team.

"We selected 2009 for the next Tall Ships race series around the north Atlantic to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the founding of Bermuda. Agreements are now in place between Sail Training International and the Bermuda Government for the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge to be a major feature of their anniversary celebrations. We expect to have two European ports at the beginning of the race series and a final race from Canada to a finish port in northern Europe."

The news was yesterday greeted with much anticipation by Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown.

"We are pleased to be spearheading this significant international initiative," he said. "This monumental event will be great exposure for Bermuda and it will be wonderful to welcome the Tall Ships back to Bermuda after their successful visit in 2000."

A portion of the race ? the leg on the eastern coast of the United States ? will be organised by the American Sail Training Association as part of its regular annual Tall Ships Challenge series, the Sail Training International spokesperson said, adding that most of the selection of host ports should be completed by the year's end.