Helsinki, Turku, Mariehamn to host Tall Ships Races 2024

The Cities of Helsinki, Turku and Mariehamn have been chosen among the organisers of the Tall Ships Races in July 2024, said the cities in separate press releases on Wednesday.

The Race will take place at Helsinki Port from 4–7 July, Turku 18-21 July and Mariehamn 24–27 July.

The other host ports of the event are Tallinn from Estonia, Klaipėda from Lithuania and Szczecin from Poland.

An international sailing event for thousands of young people, Tall Ships Races is arranged in the Baltic Sea region for the first time since 2017, as the event planned for 2021 had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Helsinki has previously been a host port of the Tall Ships Races in 1972, 1988, 2000 and in 2013. In 2013, there were around 100 ships from all over the world participating in the event, which attracted some 500,000 visitors to the Hietalahti area.

The City of Turku has hosted the Tall Ships Races four times in 1996, 2003, 2009 and 2017.

Last time, the Tall Ships Races event was held in Turku in the Finnish independence jubilee year 2017, when the event broke records in the number of spectators and ships alike. Ninety-six ships from 21 different countries sailed on the Aura River, and more than 500,000 people attended the event.

Based on research, the regional economic impact of the event was between 36 and 40 million euros.

The Tall Ships Races is Europe’s largest free-of-charge family event, offering plenty of accompanying events for both the spectators and ship crew members.

“We are once again happy to welcome the ships sailing the waves of the Baltic Sea, as well as the wonderful atmosphere of the competition. At the same time, we are embracing our unique relationship to the Baltic Sea and our stunning archipelago. The competition brings visitors from all over the world to Helsinki and its significance to residents, businesses and communities alike is momentous, as it is also very much a joint effort of the entire city, which has positive financial consequences as well,” said Helsinki Mayor Juhana Vartiainen.

Turku will be the start and finish port of the race, but the start and finish line will be on open water near Utö.

“I am happy to have the chance to welcome this wonderful marine event in Turku again after the cancellation last summer. We can utilise our earlier preparatory work, which means that we already have a head start,” said Mayor of Turku Minna Arve.

The annual Tall Ships Races event is held in the Baltic Sea region every fourth year. The Tall Ships Races is organised by Sail Training International (STI), a non-profit association founded in 1956 in London.