Organisers of this spring's Tall Ships 2000 Race say Bermuda is setting a good example for other ports in booking spaces for 170 young people.

And this weekend's series of meetings with organising committees from six ports around the North Atlantic put the final touches to the huge race involving between 70 and 80 ships.

Chaired by Robin Duchesne, head of the International Sail Training Association, the meetings were held at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess. TS 2000 Bermuda chairman Brian Billings gave a report on his committee's progress.

"It will be a great start to the Millennium,'' he said during a break on Saturday. "It will be even bigger than the 1976 race.

"The great thing from our viewpoint is the emphasis that Bermuda is putting on young people,'' Brig. Duchesne added. "There will be crews from more than 30 countries on ships from 20 countries. We want to give them the experience of a lifetime.'' Half of each ship's crew must be between the ages of 15 and 25 and activities during the 12 days the ships will be here are aimed at them.

Those activities include a Tall Ships Festival on Front Street on June 8, a water sports day on White's Island, a trainee parade in Hamilton, and a talent show for both crew and locals.

"Other ports have an example in Bermuda and concentrating on the young people is what it is all about,'' Brig. Duchesne said. "Also what is important is we want to ensure the chances to meet Bermudians.'' The race will begin on April 18 with ships leaving Southampton in the UK, for Cadiz, Spain. On April 23 other ships will leave Genoa in Italy for Cadiz.

On May 7 all of the ships will leave Cadiz for Bermuda and on June 12 some will race for Charleston, South Carolina, while others will cruise to various ports along the east coast.

By July 16 the ships will have gathered in Boston for a race to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then on to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Government has designated TS 2000 Bermuda as an official Millennium event and Hamilton is the host city.