World Sailing awards The Ocean Race with Special Event status

The Ocean Race European Tour corporate sailing event in Kiel, Germany, June 19. © Ainhoa Sanchez / The Ocean Race

World Sailing is pleased to announce that the 2021-22 and 2025-26 editions of The Ocean Race, the global sailing event that is the toughest test of a team in sport, have received World Sailing Special Event status.

Special Event status ensures that World Sailing, the world governing body of the sport, formally recognises and sanctions the event.

The Ocean Race 2021-22 will see two classes of boats competing for the first time in 25 years: the high-tech, foiling IMOCA 60 class, along with the one-design VO65 fleet that produced record-breaking performances and such compelling and close competition in the last edition.

The Ocean Race is scheduled to start from its home port in Alicante, Spain in Q4 of 2021 and finish in Genoa, Italy in the early summer of 2022. The host city procurement process for the next edition is coming to a conclusion with the sailing hotspots of Aarhus, Denmark and The Hague in The Netherlands already confirmed as host cities, along with Cabo Verde, which will be the first West African stop in the history of the Race.

The next two editions of The Ocean Race will be held under World Sailing's Racing Rules of Sailing and Regulations, with World Sailing administering the anti-doping rules and supporting the World Sailing Race Officials overseeing the event. Furthermore, World Sailing will support The Ocean Race with promotional and marketing activities.

World Sailing President Kim Andersen commented, "The Ocean Race has continuously inspired millions with its innovative approach to presenting sailing and telling some of the most compelling narratives in worldwide sport.

"We're excited about working with The Ocean Race over the next seven years and showcasing the event to an expanding audience and inspiring millions more people to fall in love with sailing."

"The Ocean Race has a proven tradition towards encouraging youth participation and mixed crews and we are pleased to continue our work with World Sailing to ensure the Race will continue to hold a leadership position in these initiatives, as well as ocean health and sustainability," said Phil Lawrence, Race Director of The Ocean Race.

The Ocean Race puts sustainability at the core of the event and its award-winning sustainability programme, in collaboration with Premier Partner 11th Hour Racing and with the support of Official Partner Bluewater, has been widely recognised as setting the standard in the industry.

World Sailing have set ambitious plans as part of Sustainability Agenda 2030, which outlines the sport's contribution to global sustainability. The Ocean Race has committed to deliver the requirements of World Sailing's Special Event Sustainability Charter. This will see The Ocean Race working towards aligning the next two editions with the key principles of Sustainability Agenda 2030 and expanding an already successful sustainability programme.

The Ocean Race is one of six sanctioned World Sailing Special Events, and the exclusive team-based around the world race. Other events currently include SailGP, World Match Racing Tour, PWA World Tour, Star Sailors League and the Global Kitesports Association's freestyle world tours

For more information on The Ocean Race, visit theoceanrace.com