The Tall Ships Races to Stavanger in July 2026

The Stavanger event will take place from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 July 2026.
- For a city located by the sea, it is a great honour to be awarded this event again. Shipping and sailing ships are an important part of the city's history and identity and we have long-standing maritme
traditons. It is partcularly pleasant that we, for the fifth time, can welcome ships from all over the world. It is also fiƫng that it happens right aŌer Stavanger's 900th anniversary in 2025, mayor Kari Nessa Nordtun says.

The Tall Ships Races is the largest event held in Rogaland county, measured in the number of spectators.
- I am sure that this will be a great event with an exciting program for all age groups and provide memorable experiences. And it's happening right in the heart of Stavanger,” the mayor states.

Including the region
Stavanger was a Tall Ships Races host port in 2018, and the city previously hosted the event in 1997, 2004 and 2011. All have been very successful events both for visiƟng ships and crews and for the whole Stavanger region.
 - We aim to involve smaller ports throughout the region in 2026 too as we have long traditions for that, Ms Nessa Nordtun emphasises.

Project manager on the ready
Knud Helge Robberstad has been appointed project manager for the event and will take up his position from January 2024. He also held the role in 2018 and is currently advisor for business development and international affairs with the City of Stavanger.
- We will work to get the largest and most exciting tall ships to Stavanger in cooperation with the other 2026 host cities. And not least, we will work to give young people from our region the opportunity to sail in the races. It is particularly inspiring that there will be regattas both to and from Stavanger this time. This creates moments of excitement and ignites the competitive spirit onboard
the ships, Mr Robberstad says.

What are The Tall Ships Races?
The Tall Ships Races are annual, international regattas aiming to help develop and educate young people aged 15-25 years through sail training, regardless of nationality, culture, religion, gender or social background. At least half of a ship’s crew must be in this age group.

The organisation Sail Training International is the overall organiser of the sailing regatta. In 2026, the Tall Ships Races will start in Aarhus, Denmark, before the ships sail to Harlingen (The  Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Stavanger and Aalborg (Denmark).

More information:
www.sailtraininginternaƟonal.org
www.nsta.no