Georg Stage is a name used by the independent foundation Georg Stages Minde that was established in 1882 by the shipowner Frederik Stage and his wife Thea. They recognized the need for better skills assessment and training of Denmark's sailors so the ship serves as a training-platform for sailors in Denmark. The ship memorialized their son, who died from tuberculosis in 1880, age 22. The ship has one tour per year, starting in April and ending in September, and has done so except during World War II; the mine danger was thought too significant so the ship was moored in Isefjorden. Following the war and until 1950, the ship each year took on two tours to recoup the war years. In 1956 the Georg Stage participated in its first regatta, the predecessor to The Tall Ships' Races. The Georg Stage has continued to compete against the largest of the sailing ships such as Kruzenshtern, STS Mir, STS Sedov, Alexander von Humboldt and Christian Radich. In 1989 Georg Stage made its first cross Atlantic Ocean voyage and paired up with its predecessor that was renamed the Joseph Conrad. Originally, training on the George Stage was restricted to the sailors in training aboard program so they could be trained in basic sailor and seamanship skills then muster with commercial vessels. The last year that there were 80 sailors aboard in training was in 1973. Since 1974 the ship serves 63 total program members each tour that also includes a chefs in training program, and a 10-person regular crew. The sailors and chefs in training participants must be between 17.5 and 22 years of age. Since 1981, females may also apply for the program. Since 2004 the Royal Danish Naval Academy aspirants have been trained aboard in basic seamanship; following the program completion the aspirants become cadets