A total of twelve crew members—six from Saint Lucia—have been selected to sail on board the ARC Youth Team yacht as part of the 2019 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.

The initiative brings together ambitious young people from Gran Canaria, Saint Lucia and the UK to sail across the Atlantic on board a Tall Ships Youth Trust 72-foot Challenger yacht, supported by a professional skipper and mate and experienced watchleaders.

All aged from 18 to 30, the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean will be an incredible adventure for the young participants.

Funding for the initiative has been raised from benefactors in Gran Canaria and Saint Lucia who have a philanthropic interest in supporting these young people enhance their skills. ARC organisers, World Cruising Club, is financially supporting two of the selected crew as well as coordinating the planning and logistics of the project.

Tall Ships Youth Trust, the UK's oldest sail-training charity, are specialists in bringing young people together for a unique, physically and mentally challenging residential experience on an ocean sailing vessel and professional skipper Gary Rutherford has sailed with the past three editions of the ARC so the Youth Team crew are in experienced hands.

"We are incredibly excited to be part of this project," said Tall Ships CEO Richard Leaman-Grey. "Tall Ships have been taking part in the ARC for over 10 years but we have never entered such a young crew. This will be a really challenging voyage for our young people, but will undoubtedly be an unforgettable life-changing experience for all on board. This is exactly what the Tall Ships Youth Trust are all about."

The ARC Youth Team will gather in Gran Canaria from Nov. 16, for a week of sail training and safety guidance before they embark on the 2,700 nm sail to the Caribbean. They will join the spectacular ARC 2019 start from Las Palmas on Sunday, Nov. 24, alongside around 200 other yachts from over 30 different nationalities who come together to cross the Atlantic as part of world's largest trans-ocean sailing event.

The ARC Youth Team will sail as part of the Racing Division, a competitive class in the ARC, where no engines are allowed and they will be at the will of the weather for the 2,700 nm crossing. Sailing the boat 24 hours a day, the crew will work together to cover all aspects of life on board including steering, sail changes, cooking and cleaning duties. The voyage is anticipated to take 13 to 18 days to reach Saint Lucia, where a remarkable welcome will await.