The Ocean Race Atlantic is set to launch in 2026
by The Ocean Race 18 Jul 2024 09:27 PDT
The Ocean Race 2022-23 - 13 June 2023. IMOCA In-Port Race in The Hague, Netherlands © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race
The Ocean Race is announcing a new transatlantic, fully-crewed race for the IMOCA class for the summer of 2026. The event is a celebration of the ocean and ocean health initiatives, and a showcase for top-level sport, and the teams and sailors who compete.
The Ocean Race Atlantic will connect America's leading metropolis of New York with Europe's capital of cool, the Catalonian city of Barcelona. It will be the first point to point race in the 50-plus year history of The Ocean Race.
This new event in 2026 follows The Ocean Race Europe, which starts in Kiel, Germany in 2025 and will precede the next edition of the around the world race starting from Alicante, Spain, in 2027.
The race across the Atlantic will feature the foiling, flying IMOCA class boats in their fully-crewed configuration. For the first time, the race crew of four sailors will consist of 50-50 split, two women and two men.
The sailors will participate in a comprehensive ocean science programme along the race route, gathering critical ocean data to support scientists studying the impact of climate change on the ocean. This will also include the participation of schools and nautical academies with the aim of promoting ocean literacy and sailing among children and young people.
"The Ocean Race Atlantic is a tremendous new addition to our race calendar and is another occasion where The Ocean Race can expand our ocean science and learning activities. I am personally particularly content that we stay on course leading the way by pushing boundaries with the 50-50 crew split. This provides an additional opportunity for more world-class female sailors to excel in the IMOCA class during a challenging and exciting transatlantic race route," said Richard Brisius, the Race Chairman of The Ocean Race.
"With The Ocean Race Europe in 2025, The Ocean Race Atlantic in 2026 and the next edition of the around the world race in 2027, we are building a robust schedule that allows us to create on-going connections between our sailors, our fans and the ocean, while adding more value for our stakeholders."
The race course features a 3,200 nautical mile transatlantic run from New York to the Strait of Gibraltar, a challenging transition into the Mediterranean Sea, followed by a further 500-mile sprint to Barcelona, with the potential to shake up the leaderboard in the final stages of the race. An innovative and exciting event format is being developed that will include intermediate scoring opportunities to keep fans engaged and interacting with the sailors and teams throughout the race.
"I'm very happy to hear about The Ocean Race Atlantic New York to Barcelona as not only is it an exciting, new fully-crewed event on the IMOCA calendar, but for me it will be a homecoming of sorts as I've enjoyed many great moments in Barcelona early in my sailing career," said Boris Herrmann, skipper of Team Malizia. "The race course is very interesting as well, as we know the transatlantic leg is where we set a new 24 hour speed record in Team Malizia last year during The Ocean Race. This is a race that will be challenging, fast and fun."
During the last two editions of The Ocean Race, the transatlantic leg offered up record-setting conditions, meaning The Ocean Race Atlantic holds potential for new records to be set.
"We've seen records broken on the race from the USA to Europe before," noted Justine Mettraux, skipper of Teamwork Team SNEF. "This is where it can happen, in good downwind conditions and flat seas, so I would expect to see a fast, strategic, intense race."
The Ocean Race Atlantic fulfils a wish from IMOCA sailors and teams for another fully-crewed race and is the latest addition to a busy calendar of racing and events for The Ocean Race, which now includes: The Ocean Race Europe in 2025 and 2029; The Ocean Race Atlantic in 2026; and The Ocean Race around the world in 2027 and 2031.
Alongside the races, The Ocean Race is driving ocean health initiatives on a constant basis, from leading ocean science expeditions in the Antarctic and Arctic regions, to organising the ongoing series of The Ocean Race Summits, and participating in high-level ocean health and sustainability conferences and forums, while its learning programme is improving ocean literacy in schools around the world.
"The Ocean Race is always on," confirmed Richard Brisius. "Our drive to protect and restore ocean health is a daily mission supported by our sailors, teams, fans and stakeholders. These events serve as inspirational touch points on the journey where we all get together with renewed focus and determination as we connect with the ocean."