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The Great Grain Races

At the end of the 19th century steamships began to win territory from the great sailing ships. One of the last uses for windjammers was the transport of the harvested wheat from Australia to Falmouth in England. This was commonly known as "Falmouth-for-order", for the ships would receive further orders in Falmouth, or the Great Grain Races. From all over the world windjammers gathered in Australia, and on those tours Finnish ships proved that Finland was a great power in sailing.

Though sailing normally is no competition, seeing another ship ahead or behind compels a sailor to compete. On an occasion like the wheat transport from Australia, competition was unavoidable. In most cases Finnish ships won those races, and in those days Finnish seafarers were sought-after employees everywhere in the world.

At the end of the era only Finnish ships remained in the trade, and the last Finnish ship-owner was Gustav Erikson from Åland.