Bermuda?s 400th anniversary celebration has received a major international boost ? the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge is being organised to coincide with the event in 2009.

A spokesman for Sail Training International said 2009 had been selected as the year of the next tall ships race precisely because of the 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,? the spokesman said. ?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 event on the east coast of the USA will be organised by the American Sail Training Association as part of their regular annual Tall Ships Challenge series.

Selection of host ports begins now and we expect to have most in place before the end of this year.?

The Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 will begin in northern Europe and include a port on the Iberian peninsula before proceeding to Bermuda and then the east coast of the USA. From there the fleet will sail north to Canada, and back to a finish port in Europe. The race series will start in late April or early May and finish in late August.

?We are pleased to be spearheading this significant international initiative,? Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown said yesterday. ?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.?