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Join a sailing adventure on a Tall Ship and set course for new horizons!

Kristiansand (NO) - Esbjerg (DK) - Helsinki (FI)

01 August - 17 August 2025

16 days, Valborg

From € 1450,-

Book this journey

Tall Ships Races Sail Training

Regular: € 1450,-

Book this journey

Valborg:
Kristiansand (NO) - Esbjerg (DK) - Helsinki (FI)

01 August - 17 August 2025

Combination voayge: Race 4 and delivery to Finland. Join Valborg in Kristiansand and enjoy the thrill of racing, navigating through waypoints toward the finish line. Gain hands-on experience in steering, navigation, and sail handling as you harness the power of the wind to sail day and night toward your destination. Feel the excitement of competition and make new friends as you approach the finish line in Esbjerg. Immerse yourself in the final festivities of The Tall Ships Races 2025, joining the Crew Parade, enjoying the Crew Party, and connecting with trainees from other ships and cultures. Then set course for the final leg of your adventure, crossing the Baltic Sea towards Finland. Extend your adventure, and make your way to Helsinki in a sustainable way by joining this combination voyage!
Open to all Windseekers aged 15+

The Tall Ships Races 2025

Every year, a diverse array of Tall Ships, small Ships, and Yachts gather to promote Sail Training and foster international frienship among young people. With a stipulation that mandates at least half of the participants fall within the age bracket of 15-25, these vessels engage in Races and Cruise in Company legs, navigating between various host ports and engaging in vibrant harbour festivals.

Each journey includes a cheerful sail-out of the harbour in a spectacular Parade of Sail, followed by several days at sea, and ends with the last two days spent in the destination port. Here, trainees paricipate in a series of events including the Crew Parade, award ceremonies, Crew Party, as well as games and competitions. Are you ready to embark on this exhilarating journey?

Ports

Kristiansand is the business and cultural capital of southern Norway. The sea and surrounding fjords are perfect for recreational activities like fishing and sailing, and the nearby inland and mountains are ideal for skiing and hiking. In the more urban areas you will find a rich variety of cafes, restaurants, art galleries and museums.

Helsinki is the capital city of Finland with a population of about 600,000 people. It has been established in 1550. Take a ferry to visit the Fortress of Suomenlinna or the Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum. If you prefer to stay on the mainland you can't miss the Rock Church - literally built into rocks. Other attractions include the Esplanadi Park, Hakaniemi Market and lots of museum. Fans of architecture cannot miss the Finnish National Theater and the Lutheran Chathedral.

  • Kristiansand (NO)

  • Helsinki (FI)

Key points

  • Dates: 1 August 2025 - 17 August 2025
  • Embarkation: 17:00 / Disembarkation: 10:00
  • For Windseekers of all ages, minimum age 15 years
  • Windseekers joining: maximum 24
  • No sailing experience required!
  • Official language on board: English
  • Price includes: accommodation and meals, excludes drinks at the bar
  • Price excludes transportation costs to-and from the ports. Our travel counsellor can advise you and book your transfers
  • Windseekers need to have a health insurance and a travel insurance
  • Need to take with you on board: bottom sheet, sleeping bag, pillow & pillowcase, towels

  • "Take chances. If you don't try, you'll never know."

    Myriam (20), Belgium

You sail on the Valborg

Shipping type: 2-masted galeas
Homeport: Helsinki
Date built: 1948
Trainees:
Length: 36 m
Height of mast: 20 m
Sail: 360 m2

Nowadays Valborg serves as a Sail Training vessel, participating in events like the Tall Ships Races and offering charter trips to companies and private groups to finance the Races. During winter Valborg stays in water (and ice), and serves as …

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Windseeker logs

  • Bon Voyage, Plastic!

    Thalassa, July 2021

    France

    – by Trainees

    Sunday, 11th of July Once we arrived in Boulogne sûr Mer we had to wait until 9 o'clock before the embarkation on the Thalassa. So we walked a bit around the festival and the harbour. Then we met more people who …

    Read log

  • Fun day out with friends

    Wadden Sea, October 2020

    All photos courtesy of BTOWU

    – by Nienke

    Besides providing us with super awesome, smart, science people to ensure the high quality of the sustainability side of our Exchange programs, By the Ocean we Unite also organize their own things. Like ‘citizen science’ day trips, during which folks …

    Read log

Photos

  • Dolphins
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OTHER JOURNEYS YOU MIGHT LIKE

STO Garant

This Journey is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).

This process is automatic and you do not need to do anything else. After receiving your booking, Windseeker will send you detailed information on how and when to pay for your journey – together with all the other important details.

 

What does it mean?

In short: you do not pay the booking amount to Windseeker but instead into an escrow account. This trust account holds your payment in reserve until your journey’s end. The booking amount is then released to Windseeker on the day after your trip ends. If Windseeker or the Ship should become financially insolvent before the end of your trip, STO Garant will implement the guarantee. The Guarantee Scheme details how you can make a claim under the guarantee in such cases. You can read more about this here.