Sea Cadets’ flag ship, TS Royalist, will be taking part in its first race this summer, giving dozens of young people the opportunity of a lifetime as they visit new countries and experience life at sea.

Cadets will take part in Sail Training International’s Tall Ships Races 2017, with the first leg setting off from Halmstad, Sweden. It is the first time the new TS Royalist will have taken part in a tall ships race since its commissioning in 2015.

In between racing, cadets will have the opportunity to explore new places, meet cadets from other countries and go aboard other tall ships.

Angela Morris, Captain of TS Royalist, said: “We are looking forward to taking the ship into the Baltic to race for the first time, and taking cadets that are joining us for the races.

“It’s a long time to be away for, but it should be a fantastic experience for the cadets. Many of the crew, including myself, have never been to some of the countries on the route, so it’s a first for all of us. We’re all ready to go racing now.”

TS Royalist has been in South Quay, London, ahead of the races to prepare and carry out vital maintenance. It is due to leave on Sunday 18 June for Den Helder in the Netherlands.

The race’s three legs will take cadets to countries including Finland, Lithuania and Poland throughout the summer, with different groups of cadets joining at various stages.