July 12, 2009, St Petersburg – Vladimir Putin – the Chairman of the Government of Russian Federation – was guest of honour at today’s first-race prizegiving of The Tall Ships’ Races in St Petersburg.

Thousands of visitors including crews from over 100 tall ships from 14 countries turned out at the main stage situated at the spectacular location on the Spit of Vasilievsky Island to see Prime Minister Putin present prizes to competitors for the first leg of The Tall Ships’ Races series from Gdynia, Poland.

This Tall Ships festival, which runs for four days (11-14 July), has already gained huge political prestige in St Petersburg and the city, known as the marine capital of Russia, is honoured to be hosting the event once again.

Joining Putin in presenting prizes on the stage at today’s prizegiving ceremony was Valentina Matvienko – the Governor of St Petersburg, and Christer Samuelsson (Race Chairman).

The Tall Ships, including some of the largest square rigged vessels in the world such as St Petersburg-based Mir, Dar Mlodziezy from Poland, and the brand-new Swedish ship – Tre Kronor of Stockholm, are moored up along Lieutenant Shmidt Embankment on the River Neva, and roads along the waterside have been closed to allow the estimated one million-plus visitors the opportunity to take a closer look at these spectacular sail training vessels. Many of the ships are open to the public, and the crew – 50 per cent of which are young people between the ages of 15-25 years – are on hand throughout the festival to guide visitors around the ships and chat about their experiences of life at sea.

The Tall Ships’ Races, which this year started in Gdynia, Poland on Sunday 5 July, will continue with a cruise in company from St Petersburg on Tuesday 14 July through the Finnish archipelago to Turku, Finland. From there, the fleet will set off on 26 July to race its second leg of the series to Klaipeda, Lithuania.