In 2009, in addition to the support sponsorship from Antwerp, the Russian shipping company, SOVCOMFLOT will also be a presenting partner. SOVCOMFLOT is Russia's biggest shipping company operating 119 vessels specialising in energy shipping. With its base in Saint Petersburg, it is looking forward to supporting the city in delivering a memorable sail training event and also to being involved in the other host ports. The company already has strong links with sail training. As part of its training programme, all cadets and all staff undertake at least one voyage on Mir.
Races and Festivals for sail training Tall Ships began in the mid 1950s. The idea of an international race for sail training tall ships, manned by crews drawn from cadets and seamen under training, and to mark what was expected to be the end of the age of sail, was first discussed informally in 1953.  The ‘Sail Training International Race Committee' was established, and plans were made for a race between Torbay in the UK and Lisbon in Portugal in July 1956.
Instead of marking the end of the age of sail, this first Tall Ships Race heralded the dawn of a new age for sailing ships and sail training.
Over the decades since, many new sail training tall ships have been built, big and small, and many older ships have been converted to sail training. The fleet that participates in The Tall Ships' Races in Europe, has grown from just 20 in 1956, to sometimes well over 100 today.
The European races gave rise to two important developments: First, the creation of national sail training organisations around the world , and second, the development of many other races, events and festivals for sail training tall ships.
Two races for sail training Tall Ships around the north Atlantic have been staged, in 1992 and 2000, with another now scheduled for 2009. The American Sail Training Association holds an annual series of Tall Ships Challenge events that today attracts a fleet of some 10-15 vessels.
The first Tall Ships Race in 1956 was established by an organisation called the Sail Training International Race Committee. This became a permanent body, changing over the years through other incarnations as the UK Sail Training Association, the International Sail Training Association and finally back to its roots as a new charity in 2003, Sail Training International.