Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT) has taken part in the RORC Rolex Fastnet Race since 2009, enabling adults and young people from all over the UK to compete in one of sailing’s most prestigious global events.
In 2025 two crews of young people and sponsoring adults competed in the 100th Anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race, united by one goal – to challenge themselves at sea. Over five intense days our crews faced shifting winds, powerful spring tides, long night watches and life-changing moments. Challenger 1 and Challenger 3 rounded the legendary Fastnet Rock together, a rare and unforgettable moment.
TSYT’s Ocean Racing Pathway, launched after the 2023 race, goes from strength to strength. Express an interest today to take part in this world-famous offshore race and sponsor a young person who is living with disadvantage, so they can have the same life-changing opportunity!
The Rolex Fastnet Race is the pinnacle of offshore yacht racing. A 600-nautical-mile test of endurance, it starts at Cowes, rounds the iconic Fastnet Rock, and finishes in Cherbourg, France.
By joining the Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT) crew, you aren’t just a passenger – you are an essential part of a high-performance team. Since 2009, we have proven that the power of the ocean can transform lives. In 2027, we are entering our two 72ft Challenger yachts to do it again and are taking a group of young people with us.
THE ULTIMATE SAILING CHALLENGE
This is one of the toughest races in the world: exhilarating, demanding, and prestigious. You will face shifting winds, powerful tides, and the intensity of night watches. But you won’t do it alone. You will be part of a unique crew.
We enable a group of 16 young people, who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, to take their place on the start line alongside our sponsoring adults. Whether you are an experienced sailor or testing your limits for the first time, this is your chance to round the Rock, mentor the next generation, and secure your place in sailing history.
Over 40 passionate young people expressed interest in continuing their journey with us through our ocean racing pathway. From these aspiring racers, 19 went on to join our racing teams for the Rolex Fastnet 2025.
This pathway gave them the chance to compete in one of the world’s most challenging ocean racing events an opportunity many would not have had otherwise. For some, it has already opened doors to exciting careers in the maritime industry and the growing blue economy.
Your support helped fund these youth crews, and we’re now looking ahead to the Rolex Fastnet 2027. We’d love your help to get even more young people on the start line. Find out more about our Ocean Racing Pathway.
By taking your place on the Fastnet 2027 crew, you directly support a young person who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity, helping them build the resilience and confidence that only the ocean can provide.
When the Fastnet training began I was struggling with self-confidence, and the Fastnet campaign helped me to become who I wanted to be, a more confident and self-assured person. The campaign also supported my growth in leadership skills. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to develop not only as a sailor but as a person.
There’s something magical about a Fastnet campaign with the Tall Ships Youth Trust. It’s not just the training, the sea survival courses or the qualifying races, it’s the journey you go on personally and as a group; it’s about watching amazing young people develop skills they never knew they had, push themselves and keep smiling. Bizarrely, it’s only on the sail home from the finish in Cherbourg that you realise just how special the opportunity to experience the race with young adults actually is, and if we could bottle that, the TSYT campaign would be full for the next 20 years!
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