AN AWARD winning yacht which has sailed nearly 4,000 miles this summer has returned home

Challenge Wales, the 72 foot tall ship, was away from her Penarth Marina home for 60 days having set sail in June.

The ship is a run by a sail training charity which provides disadvantaged young people with sailing opportunities to increase their confidence, employability and teamwork skills.

And during her summer adventure, Challenge Wales was presented with an environment award and Blue Flag for commitment to protecting the oceans.

She first set sail to Belgium before taking part in the largest young person’s event in Europe, The Tall Ships Races, which took her to Lisbon, Cadiz and A Coruna.

A total of 23 young people from north, mid, west and south Wales jumped aboard for different legs of Challenge Wales’ journey ranging from seven to 16 days and got to meet other young people from all over the world.

Most of those taking part were subsidised through the Challenge Wales Bursary Scheme, which enables young people from Wales to take part in activities on board regardless of their financial situation.

All those onboard Challenge Wales worked as a team and in three hour watches, making sure that the boat finished each leg as quick as possible.

She won a trophy for being third in class for one of the legs.

Challenge Wales trustee, Vicky Williams, said: "It is great that we could support more than 20 young people from Wales this summer to have a life-enhancing overseas experience that involved meeting young people from all over the world.

"As a small Welsh charity we are making some noise on the international sail training scene.

"Challenge Wales’ activities also naturally fit with the recently launched Wales Charter for Youth Work framework by providing opportunities and new experiences to widen young people’s horizons, opportunities to take part in outdoor adventure and residential and international experiences.

"It supports the personal and social development of the young people.”

Challenge Wales is now continuing to work with Welsh youth groups through September until the end of the sail training season next month.