Sailing - Host City

The Clipper Race launches quest for hosts and sponsors

[Source: The Sports Consultancy (TSC)] The Clipper Race has announced its search for Host Port Partners and Sponsors for its 2025-26 edition of one of the world’s most well-known global adventures.

The Host Port Partner and sponsor bid process is launched and organised by The Sports Consultancy (TSC), whose CEO Angus Buchanan was previously a professional sailor.

As well as a swathe of experience in sailing, with the America’s Cup, World Sailing, and Oman Sail amongst its previous clientele, TSC is an expert in host procurement and sponsorship rights sales and has undertaken similar projects with the NFL, Volleyball World and Laver Cup in recent months.

The Clipper Race is foremost a thrilling adventure experience for non-professional sailors who are trained to take on the challenge of becoming ocean racers. With the adventure tourism market valued at USD483.3B in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.2% from 2024 to 2032 (source: Global Data Insights), there is a large and steady rise in adventure-orientated experiences in the travel and tourism industry, this is a fantastic opportunity for ports and brands to align with Clipper Race.

The positioning of remote, extreme adventure contrasts the regularity of everyday people taking on an adventure of a lifetime and, with that, brings opportunity to tell human stories and create authentic, gripping content that will engage communities around the world.

 

Global Scale

The gargantuan scale of the challenge takes in all six continents in each corner of the globe, with previous ports including Seattle, New York, Cape Town, Bermuda, Punta del Este and Qingdao.

Clipper Race Head of Partnerships, Tom Adams is looking forward to the process: “We have joined forces with The Sports Consultancy as it has a wealth of experience in bringing host cities, brands and rights holders together to deliver meaningful partnerships. This new collaboration has enabled us to refresh our portfolio of opportunities in line with the evolving needs of potential partners. We are confident we have developed an effective platform to engage our partners’ communities and drive growth.”

TSC Director, Fraser Houlder, said: “Clipper Race is unique in that it is a brand synonymous with adventure, but it is also aspirational. With the growth of adventure tourism, this is an opportunity for cities, destination and consumer brands to come into this space.

“We are delighted to be working with the Clipper Race, to speak with potential Host Port Partners and brands, and the team is raring to go!”

Interested parties for either Host Port Partners or Sponsor brands should in the first instance, contact TSC Consultant, Oliver Ng at oliver.ng@thesportsconsultancy.com for more information.

2024 US Olympic trials host announced

Photo credit: John Spade / Flickr

[Source: US Sailing] US Sailing and Miami Yacht Club have agreed to co-host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials –Sailing. The 49er, Mixed 470, Men and Women’s IQ Foil, and Men’s and Women’s Formula Kite racing will be held Jan 6-13, 2024, while the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes will race Feb. 17-24, 2024. The racing will be held primarily on the Atlantic Ocean with course options on Biscayne Bay.

Tom Duggan, Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, will serve as PRO for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Sailing. The Notices of Race for these events will be issued by Aug. 1, 2023.

“We are honored to have the Miami sailing community and, in particular, Miami Yacht Club’s patriotism and enthusiasm for supporting America’s top sailing athletes and their journey to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” said Paul Cayard, executive director of the US Sailing Team. “The U.S. Olympic Team Trials are a competition which will test boat speed, focus, mental strength, the ability to win races, and the ability to sail consistently over a series of races, all of which are required to succeed at the Olympic Games.”

The athlete selection procedures for the 2024 Olympic Games were drafted by US Sailing’s International Selection Committee, which includes nine U.S. Olympians and is chaired by Olympic silver and bronze medalist, JJ Fetter. The selection procedures were approved by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and initially published in July 2022, with subsequent amendments to reflect this 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials announcement.

For the Women’s Skiff (49er FX), late selection will be the combined results of the 2024 FX World Championships in Lanzarote, Spain from February 27 – March 3rd and the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, Spain from April 1 – 6th.

For the Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17), late selection will be the combined results of the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta and the 2024 Nacra 17 Europeans in La Grande-Motte, France from May 7 – 12th.

It should be noted that if an athlete/team both wins the qualification series for selection to the Olympic Test Event in Marseille in July 2023 and achieves a podium finish at that event, that athlete/team will qualify for Early Selection and be nominated as the representative(s) for Paris 2024, precluding a late selection regatta or regattas for that class.

Full Selection Procedures for the Paris 2024 Olympics can be found here

[Source: US Sailing] US Sailing and Miami Yacht Club have agreed to co-host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials –Sailing. The 49er, Mixed 470, Men and Women’s IQ Foil, and Men’s and Women’s Formula Kite racing will be held Jan 6-13, 2024, while the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes will race Feb. 17-24, 2024. The racing will be held primarily on the Atlantic Ocean with course options on Biscayne Bay.

Tom Duggan, Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, will serve as PRO for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Sailing. The Notices of Race for these events will be issued by Aug. 1, 2023.

“We are honored to have the Miami sailing community and, in particular, Miami Yacht Club’s patriotism and enthusiasm for supporting America’s top sailing athletes and their journey to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games Paris 2024,” said Paul Cayard, executive director of the US Sailing Team. “The U.S. Olympic Team Trials are a competition which will test boat speed, focus, mental strength, the ability to win races, and the ability to sail consistently over a series of races, all of which are required to succeed at the Olympic Games.”

The athlete selection procedures for the 2024 Olympic Games were drafted by US Sailing’s International Selection Committee, which includes nine U.S. Olympians and is chaired by Olympic silver and bronze medalist, JJ Fetter. The selection procedures were approved by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and initially published in July 2022, with subsequent amendments to reflect this 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials announcement.

For the Women’s Skiff (49er FX), late selection will be the combined results of the 2024 FX World Championships in Lanzarote, Spain from February 27 – March 3rd and the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, Spain from April 1 – 6th.

For the Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17), late selection will be the combined results of the 2024 Princess Sofia Regatta and the 2024 Nacra 17 Europeans in La Grande-Motte, France from May 7 – 12th.

It should be noted that if an athlete/team both wins the qualification series for selection to the Olympic Test Event in Marseille in July 2023 and achieves a podium finish at that event, that athlete/team will qualify for Early Selection and be nominated as the representative(s) for Paris 2024, precluding a late selection regatta or regattas for that class.

Full Selection Procedures for the Paris 2024 Olympics can be found here

 

SailGP invites cities to join its Race for the Future

[Source: SailGP] Following the announcement of an expanded event calendar for its second season that opens in less than 50 days and features eight events across three continents, SailGP today opened the bid process for its Season 3 host venues, starting in 2022. SailGP is inviting cities that are committed to creating a better future to be part of its sustainable global racing calendar as the league sets out to champion a world powered by nature.

Responsible for more than 70 percent of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions, cities play a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. SailGP host cities will share its commitment to a cleaner future and will be pioneering innovative solutions to mitigate climate change.

As the first climate positive sports and entertainment property – removing more carbon than its footprint – SailGP is already leading the way and setting a new standard for major event hosting. From its inception in 2019, SailGP has been measuring, reducing and offsetting its own carbon footprint and has set an ambitious target of 55 percent reduction of its carbon footprint – based on science – by 2025, as well as committing to being fully powered by nature by 2025. The remaining carbon that can not be eliminated is offset via a partnership with One Carbon World, directly supporting renewable energy wind projects around the world.

SailGP became a world first in sport to be certified as carbon neutral (carbon emission report) and achieve both the Carbon Neutral International Standard and join the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative, reaffirming its commitment to maintain a zero-carbon operational stance.

Further highlighting that SailGP is more than a racing championship, the global league has achieved the international sustainability standard ISO20121 in unprecedented speed ahead of its second season. A legacy born from the London 2012 Olympics, ISO20121 is a robust sustainable event management system developed to an international standard.

Future SailGP host cities must sign the league’s Climate Action Charter and commit to two key impact projects: one on energy powered by nature for the city and a blue carbon project to maintain or restore critical carbon-sequestering shoreline ecosystems to protect the waters in which SailGP racing takes place.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We want to use our platform to undertake bold and creative activities that achieve our goal of helping to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. SailGP Season 3 will set a new standard for sport globally though our aspiration to assemble the most sustainable global events calendar in sport. Therefore we are inviting cities that share our passion for the environment and clean energy to become a part of history and host a SailGP event in Season 3 and beyond.”

Beyond positioning themselves as a global leader in sustainability and clean energy – plus the association with a world class climate positive global event – host venues will also benefit from direct economic impact. In its inaugural season, SailGP generated an average impact of $23 million per event and attracted a worldwide broadcast audience of 256 million across five events.

These economic and environmental benefits are matched with community engagement opportunities through SailGP Inspire – the league’s inclusive community, education and outreach initiative – and SailGP’s Race for the Future purpose-driven agenda.

Fiona Morgan, SailGP director of purpose and impact, said: “Our ambition is to be the most sustainable and purpose-driven global sports platform. We believe the power of sport can make a big difference to educate and tackle climate change, and next season will be another step in using our platform to do just that. We want to work with host cities that share our values and commitment to a cleaner and better future, and together – working with like-minded cities and partners – believe we have the power to change the world, one event, one city at a time.”

Each grand prix is a two-day event comprising six races in identical high-speed catamarans, and includes a final match race to determine the winner. Two to three days of training provide additional scope for host venues to maximize activation opportunities.

Building on the foundations set in Seasons 1 and 2, SailGP’s third season will commence in May 2022 and run through March 2023.

Additional details on the bid process can be accessed via Venues@SailGP.com. Cities must express interest no later than April 2021.

Aggreko partnership helps SailGP become climate positive

Pinnacle sailing league SailGP has partnered with Aggreko, the world-leading provider of mobile modular power, temperature control and energy services, as the championship prepares to become fully powered by clean energy by 2025.

Through the partnership, the delivery of all event operations over the next three seasons will become increasingly sustainable.

SailGP has already achieved the Carbon Neutral International Standard, joined the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative and met the international sustainability standard ISO20121.  

“We are extremely excited to work with Aggreko – a company that shares our belief that innovation and technology is critical to drive the sustainability agenda and transition to a cleaner future, powered by nature,” said Fiona Morgan, Director of Purpose and Impact at SailGP.

“We look forward to working together to test and innovate on solutions to reduce emissions across our global events and share a blueprint of clean events so others can learn and follow.”

Starting next month, SailGP will deploy a hybrid solution from Aggreko that comprises solar power, battery storage and thermal generation. Further into the partnership, Aggreko will work with SailGP to lower emissions further by introducing green grid distribution and alternative fuels such as bio-methanol and hydrogen, as they become available.

Robert Wells, MD at Aggreko Events Services said: “At Aggreko, we greatly admire SailGP’s commitment to sustainability, inclusivity and innovation – values that we proudly share. This partnership brings us one step closer to delivering sustainable sporting events globally, and we are excited that Aggreko continues to demonstrate reliable innovative energy solutions for world class events such as SailGP.”  

Aggreko has itself committed to reduce local emissions and diesel usage by 50%  and become Net Zero by 2050.

SailGP aims to set new standards for major event delivery as the first climate positive sports and entertainment property.

As part of its Race for the Future purpose-driven agenda, SailGP champions “a better world powered by nature”, with a focus on accelerating a transition to clean energy.

Taking place in some of the world’s most iconic harbours, anticipation is growing for the opening event of SailGP Season 2, with the Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess kicking off April 24-25.

SailGP launches diversity, equity and inclusion initiative

[Source: SailGP, October 22, 2020] Following the announcement of its Race for the Future purpose-led agenda aimed at accelerating change to a cleaner and more inclusive future, SailGP today rolled out its first major diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. The global championship has launched an extensive program to fast-track the training and development of female athletes for participation in SailGP.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We acknowledge that there is work to be done in order to make our organization and this sport more inclusive, and we are fully committed to addressing the need to accelerate change. As we have quickly progressed to become the pinnacle global league for the sport, it has also become abundantly clear that this opportunity should be afforded to as wide a group of athletes as possible.

“Fast, foiling boats – including our F50 catamarans – are now rightfully at the center of high-performance sail racing, however, the majority of that racing has been predominantly male-driven, resulting in an experience gap among genders. All genders can, and should, be equal in this sport, and we must therefore provide the opportunity necessary to close that gap. It is imperative that we break existing boundaries in the sport to create a more inclusive environment overall.”

SailGP’s immediate focus is the advancement of gender equity and racial diversity, with the longer-term goal to ensure the league is more accessible for all underrepresented groups.

To guide the process, SailGP has been working with diversity and inclusion consultancy the Clear Company throughout the last four months, while also establishing two working committees. The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee – which includes 75 percent membership from underrepresented groups – is driving the holistic inclusion of women and racially diverse individuals across the organization, while the Women’s Committee – made up of a cross-section of internal and external expertise, including more than 80 percent women – is supporting the initial female athlete integration process.

In early November, SailGP will host the first in a series of women’s invitational camps that will eventually be conducted in each team market – Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States – to engage with female athletes who meet the league’s overall selection criteria.

From there, 16 women will be invited to participate in SailGP’s pre-season training camp early next year. Ultimately, at least one female athlete will be selected to train and be immersed within each team for Season 2, which is set to begin in April 2021.

The first season of the gender equity initiative will serve as a pilot program, and will include regular evaluation and adjustments to ensure a successful integration process. Overall, the program will aim to train top female sailors to be competitive in the positions of helm, flight controller or wing trimmer onboard the F50 race boats.

SailGP Women’s Committee member Carolijn Brouwer, a three-time Olympian who has also competed in The Ocean Race three times and been named World Sailor of the year twice, said: “This is a big step forward for women in professional sailing. SailGP is accelerating the inclusion and creating the opportunity for high-performance female sailors to compete alongside their male peers in the world's most advanced sailing league. This type of initiative will allow us to achieve true gender equity in the future.”

A dedicated women’s program manager, to be in place by January 2021, will oversee this initiative.

Additional focus will be placed on creating a more racially diverse profile for SailGP – and ultimately the sport – beginning at the grassroots and junior levels. The league will work in partnership with World Sailing, National Sailing Federations, and local sailing clubs and programs to provide opportunities to young people from a variety of backgrounds through its community outreach program, SailGP Inspire.

Gender-balanced from its inception, SailGP Inspire will provide an important pathway for young female sailors to receive training, coaching and competitive racing in WASZP foiling boats. In addition, SailGP Inspire will now add focus to offering additional entry points to both recreational and competitive sailing for racially and socioeconomically diverse youth.

Further information on the relaunch of SailGP Inspire will be announced by the end of the year.

World Sailing Head of Sustainability Dan Reading said: "We commend SailGP, the first signatory of our Special Event Sustainability Charter, for taking a leadership role in sustainable development. We look forward to working with the championship to close the participation gap among underrepresented groups and engage with a wider demographic working with the World Sailing Trust."

Additional information regarding SailGP’s diversity strategy, including internal policies and procedures aimed at cultivating an equitable and inclusive culture, can be found here.

 

SailGP launches Race for the Future

[Source: SailGP, October 8, 2020] With a sense of purpose that goes beyond entertainment, SailGP will use its global platform to accelerate change to a cleaner and more inclusive future via a newly launched initiative: Race for the Future.

SailGP – the sport’s pinnacle league featuring the world’s fastest sail racing – will set a new standard as the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, while delivering actions and innovations that advance the global adoption of clean energy. Underpinning the plan is a diversification of the league, with the goal of immediately progressing gender and racial inclusivity.

Having postponed its second season events due to the pandemic, SailGP is building on the foundations set in year one when it launched a gender-balanced youth and community outreach program – SailGP Inspire – and set the initial goal of winning the race to zero carbon.

SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We have a responsibility and a purpose that goes beyond our compelling entertainment proposition. Sustainable development is paramount to the world’s future, and through SailGP, we have a unique platform to accelerate change. Race for the Future takes us from intention to action, with a real ability to effect environmental and social transformation within and outside of the sport.

“Having a zero-carbon footprint and a diverse staff is not enough; we’ve challenged ourselves to think bigger and broader. These issues go beyond SailGP, beyond the sport and beyond the industry, and we will strongly advocate for the critical adoption of clean energy, while serving as champions of inclusivity.”

 

RACE FOR THE FUTURE, PART 1: ENVIRONMENTAL

Setting the New Standard
SailGP is the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, going beyond a net zero carbon footprint in all business and event operations. To be climate positive, SailGP will both drastically reduce its carbon output and invest in projects to eliminate more than the remaining emissions, ultimately creating an environmental benefit.

SailGP Sustainability Director Dr. Susie Tomson said: “We are facing a global climate emergency that requires aggressive action. We have to take decisive and ground-breaking measures, leading by example not only in sailing but across the marine and sports industries. Through technology and innovation, we will be able to reduce our impact, and will utilize our events, network, partners and fans to showcase and inspire change.”

In setting a new standard for clean event delivery, SailGP will track and verify its carbon emissions through a partnership with One Carbon World, a global resource partner of the UN Climate Neutral Now Initiative.

Three of SailGP’s primary activity areas – on the water, onshore and in cities – have been identified to reduce the league’s carbon footprint. In each area, SailGP is partnering with like-minded and innovative companies to fully transition to clean energy solutions.

The remaining carbon that cannot be eliminated will be offset through One Carbon World and via the advancement of pioneering blue carbon projects, helping to maintain or restore critical carbon-sequestering shoreline ecosystems around the world. Blue carbon projects will be delivered through a partnership with Worldview International Foundation, starting with planting mangroves to contribute to the charity’s ambitious goal of planting a billion trees and mitigating 500 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

 

On-Water
SailGP’s F50 race boats are one of the best showcases of clean energy in the world – they harness the power of the wind, traveling at 3-4 times its speed.

A key project to ensure both the race and support boats are powered by nature is reducing the carbon impact of the support boats – necessary to safely manage SailGP racing. Working in partnership with ePropulsion, a leading innovator of portable electric outboard boat motors, SailGP will transition 11 boats to ePropulsion motors for the start of Season 2.

SailGP has also partnered with Evoy, an innovative Norwegian company providing high-output electric propulsion systems for boats, to find a solution for the electrification of the league’s high-speed chase boats. Through a ‘pilot partnership,’ an initial boat will be upgraded to test at the first European event in Season 2 and, if successful, a plan will be implemented to transition the remainder of the boats to electric engines.

The overall goal is to have a fully electric support boat fleet by 2025 – removing the equivalent of 175 cars from the road – and helping to lead a clean energy revolution in the marine industry.

 

Onshore
On the shore, SailGP is shifting from technologies based on fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable power by 2025. At the core of the project will be temporary event power supplied by generators using clean fuel.

Though the race boats are inherently powered by nature, they require batteries to run the electronics and store power during racing, so it is essential that once onshore, these are recharged using clean energy. To meet the goal of the race boats being fully powered by nature, a new mobile off-grid solar solution was implemented in Season 1, working in partnership with Tesla and using a Tesla Powerwall system. SailGP will work to expand the initiative to power additional elements of its technical boat operations, including the electric outboard motors that will be used by the support boat fleet.

Another key onshore project is looking at the circularity in the production of the race boats. A partnership with ELG Carbon Fibre – the world’s first carbon fiber recovery plant based in the UK – will allow waste carbon fiber from the F50s to be recycled and reintroduced into the manufacturing process for the evolution of the race boat in future seasons, ensuring a responsible and reduced carbon manufacturing process. This will be a vital step in addressing the issue of global carbon consumption and raising awareness of closed loop recycling within the marine industry and beyond.

 

In Cities
Another new development for 2021, each of the eight national teams competing in SailGP will race with purpose. Every team will sign a Race for the Future charitable partner in their market, not only offering valuable commercial space on the boat to raise awareness for the partners’ causes, but also to secure funding for their partner through race results. The teams will work with their partners on projects that align with SailGP’s sustainability efforts.

New Zealand SailGP Team co-CEO Blair Tuke said: “SailGP’s global platform is a massive opportunity to accelerate change and shine the light on key issues facing our environment. Our partner Live Ocean will help raise awareness for the protection and restoration of our oceans, which are one of our best defenses against climate change. It’s really exciting that as a league we can bring focus on the urgent need for change using Race for the Future.”

 

Accelerating Change
SailGP will deliver actions and innovations that accelerate the global adoption of clean energy by investing in clean technology, serving as a collaborative innovation lab and inspiring action.

Clean Tech
SailGP will invest in clean technology solutions through both SailGP’s own research and design capabilities, and with the creation of a start-up investment fund. The aim will be to develop, test and bring to market new sustainable innovations that have broader applicability beyond the marine industry, as well as allow the league to reinvest in projects that nurture and protect the environment where SailGP races.

The first project is with E1 – the new electric powerboat series that was launched last month. SailGP is engineering and developing the initial race boat concept, which will allow the league to continue its push toward sustainable innovation and help drive forward the electrification of the marine industry.

Innovation Lab
The global championship will serve as an innovation lab and bring together partners, stakeholders, thought leaders and change makers to collaborate and facilitate advances in clean tech innovations. SailGP events will become the ultimate showcase, and through demonstrations, forums and interactive sessions, bring together innovators to shape the future of clean technology and marine sustainability.

 

Inspire Action
From grassroots youth programs to consumer campaigns, SailGP will look to inspire action among its audiences, partners and fans. Using its global events, social, digital and broadcast platforms, SailGP will create clean energy advocates of the future. In addition, 10,000 young people will be educated about sustainability through SailGP Inspire in event host cities.

ROCKWOOL Group CEO Jens Birgersson said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business at ROCKWOOL Group, and SailGP provides us a global platform to raise awareness, showcase sustainable solutions and share our optimism around today’s sustainability challenges, especially in urban environments. We believe that a more sustainable future is possible, and that, together, we can accelerate change, drive innovation, and inspire current and future generations to take action.”

Race for the Future, Part 2 will be released on October 22 with details regarding female athlete inclusion in the league for Season 2, as well as robust initiatives to fully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion in every part of the business.

SailGP – going faster than the wind

Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE (Photo: Global Sports Week Paris)

SailGP was launched just last year, but already the event is moving as fast as the catamarans that fly through the waters of its growing number of host cities.

From the off, SailGP co-founder and Oracle CTO Larry Ellison made a decision that he wanted to go to great cities. SailGP co-founder and CEO Sir Russell Coutts KNZM CBE tells Host City: “That was the right move. We needed to establish ourselves in our first year, so we went to San Francisco, Sydney, New York, Cowes – which is an iconic sailing venue – and Marseilles. These are iconic cities with great waterfronts. You are showing the city in a way that doesn’t normally get shown.”

After a successful opening season, SailGP commissioned Deloitte to do an economic impact study. “We looked at the data and we returned an average of USD 23m per event last year, which is a great starting point. That’s creating value.”

With this information, the event owner started to attract prospective hosts. “We approached them last year to go there; and now it’s a different story. we’ve got venues approaching us”

Two new nations have already joined the programme: Denmark and Spain. “Spain’s exciting because Spanish is widely spoken, and also they are going through a purple patch in their Olympic sailing programme, with a huge pool of talent. So we know that team will be very competitive almost from the word go.

“We are also looking to partner with venues that fit with our sustainability messaging too. Copenhagen is fantastic in that regard. They have a huge focus on clean energy, and where we are racing you are going to see some wind farms right there.

“Sailing is powered by nature. Our boats can go three or four times faster than the wind, as strange as that sounds! If you sent out a helium balloon, one of our boats would be get there at least two and a half times faster.”

SailGP aims to link each venue with a team, with a single team per nation. “There are a lot of logistical challenges we need to solve to do that, but I can confidently say that we’ll get to eight teams very quickly.”

“Beyond that we are going to have to address some hurdles. If I look way ahead, which might be five years’ time, I can see the potential to have two groups – let’s say we get 12 franchises, two groups of six with a grand final at the end where the top teams of each group meet each other.”

The fact that the teams are national is important to the appeal of the event. “We’ve got to build national pride in these teams and a following. For a start off we’ve made a commercial decision, which some may say us a compromise, that we are not selling a title to any of the teams. We could get money if we sold a title, but the affiliation with the country is the main thing.”

“If you look at events like the Olympics, people follow them and they may not even know of any of the athletes – they just want their country to win. That’s an association you can create. Our branding is very much focussed around that.

Another key motivating factor for audiences is personality. “If we can get one personality in each country that becomes well known as a personality – the Ben Ainslie type connection – then we’re winning, were giving people a reason to connect.”

This exclusive Host City interview was conducted at Global Sports Week Paris in February 2020

The Ocean Race reveals 2021-22 route

(Photo copyright: The Ocean Race)

[Source: The Ocean Race] The next edition of The Ocean Race, scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain in October 2021, will visit 10 international cities, including the start port and the Grand Finale finish in Genoa, Italy in the summer of 2022.

For the first time, The Ocean Race is now open to the high-tech, foiling IMOCA 60 class, in addition to the one-design VO65 boats that provided record-breaking performance and such close, compelling racing in the 2017-18 edition of the race – the closest Race of all-time.

“As we open up the design and innovation elements of the race again with the IMOCA class, confirming the race route for our teams has taken on an added importance as the designers look to optimise performance for the conditions,” said Johan Salén, the Managing Director of The Ocean Race.

“This route is more compact at 38,000 nautical miles and with two less stopovers compared with the last race but it includes two significant Southern Ocean legs, where crews on both the IMOCA 60s and the VO65s will have an opportunity to add their stories to the legend of this race.”

The Race Route for The Ocean Race 2021-22:

Alicante, Spain - Race Start

*Cabo Verde

Cape Town, South Africa

*Shenzhen, China

Auckland, New Zealand

Itajaí, Brazil

Newport, RI, USA

Aarhus, Denmark

The Hague, Netherlands

*Genoa, Italy - The Grand Finale

(* indicates a new host city)

“This new race route respects our heritage as an event that crosses the world’s oceans, leaving the great capes of the southern hemisphere to port, and diving into the Southern Ocean on the approach to the iconic Cape Horn,” said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race.

“With seven returning stopovers and three new host cities, there is a good balance between stability and exploration, as the route will take us through the Java Sea, near Indonesia, for the first time.

“As ever, The Ocean Race appeals to athletes and teams who want to compete against the best in the world and add their name to the list of the legends of our sport who have defined their careers by taking on this incredible challenge.”

One of those sailors is Carolijn Brouwer (NED), who became one of the first women to win The Ocean Race as part of the victorious Dongfeng Race Team in the last race. In the 2021-22 edition, all race teams, in both classes, will be required to have female crew members.

“To lift The Ocean Race trophy with Dongfeng Race Team in 2017-18 was a dream come true for myself and the team, and it’s an honour to be counted amongst so many legends of the sport as a winner of this amazing race,” Brouwer said.

“The 2021-22 race course keeps the Southern Ocean at the heart of the race, and the new foiling IMOCA boats plus the returning VO65s means more epic racing and great human stories.”

The introduction of the IMOCA fleet into The Ocean Race presents a new opportunity for sailors to race in the world’s most challenging and competitive fully-crewed event.

Paul Meilhat, the winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum and the current leader of the IMOCA sailor rankings, is among those looking to make the transition.

“The Ocean Race is one of the most global events in sport, and the racecourse for 2021-22 underlines why it is so special – with some of the best offshore sailing conditions around, and a massive commercial reach touching six continents,” he said.

“It has long been my dream to compete in The Ocean Race and test myself against the best sailors in one of the most challenging races in the sport.”

This edition of The Ocean Race is also reaching beyond sport - with the support of Premier Partner 11th Hour Racing and Race Partner Bluewater, sustainability initiatives have been embraced into all aspects of The Ocean Race.

Building on a legacy from the last edition, The Ocean Race 2021-22 will feature a new series of The Ocean Race Summits (the first took place in Genoa, Italy in September of 2019), an expanded version of its award-winning learning curriculum for schools, and a robust science and data programme. Additionally, all race teams will be required to use renewable sources to generate a proportion of the energy used on board in both the IMOCA and VO65 fleets.

The 2021-22 edition of The Ocean Race is scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain in October of 2021 and stopover dates will be confirmed in due course.

The organisers of The Ocean Race look forward to the start of the race in 18 months and are fully committed to holding a successful event. Given the uncertainties related to the current coronavirus pandemic race organisers are in ongoing conversations with medical experts and authorities and following their advice. As always, the health, safety and well-being of The Ocean Race family and all race stakeholders is a top priority.

Read Host City’s exclusive interview with Race Chairman Richard Brisius here.

Racing for a purpose

(Photo: Global Sports Week Paris)

Sport brings benefits to physical and mental health, building a sense of community and purpose. But reconciling these with the business of sport can create a quandary – particularly when people are increasingly inclined to spend time looking at devices than participating in sport.

“Kids in America don’t play anymore; they sit in front of their screens,” says Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race. “What’s their perception of sport and how do we attract them to it? Do I chase eyeballs and clicks, or produce something that’s relevant and educating?

“It’s quite easy for sports to think we don’t have much effect, but we do. Sports has for a long time has been about a healthy mind and a healthy body. Sport shouldn’t go too far away from its ideals. If we do that, if we just chase views at any cost, we will lose credibility. Business and sponsors are looking for sports that take the responsibility to do something for purpose, and that is sustainable.”

 

Microplastics everywhere

Concerns over sustainability are at the forefront of all sports today, and sailing is right on the front line of environmental change. Anyone who has watched Blue Planet will be aware of the beauty and fragility of the ocean.

“The ocean has always been our playground, our stadium. 70 per cent of the world is covered in ocean – very few people go out there, but we do, and we see it change.”

Ocean health has been at the core of the race since its launch of the event in 1973. “Conservation comes naturally to sailors,” says Brisius, citing the example of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Olympic gold medallists who came second and third in the last Ocean Race and set up the Live Ocean charitable trust.

The Ocean Race runs an ocean science programme, where the racing boats are fitted with advanced equipment to test water all over the world for salinity, CO2, temperature, microplastics and other indicators. The data is sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), UNESCO and other science databases.

“We go to places where no one else goes. It’s sad to say that we found microplastics everywhere across the world, even between Cape Horn and New Zealand, at Point Nemo – the furthest away from land you can be.”

They also have an education programme in 29 countries and run a series of 12 Ocean Race summits around the world to raise awareness of ocean health.

 

Hosting for a purpose

The Ocean Race goes to great cities all over the world. The next race, in 2021-2022, takes in ten host cities, starting from Alicante, going on to Cape Verde, Cape Town, Shenzhen, Auckland, Itajai, the US city of Newport, Aarhus, the Hague, then into the Mediterranean with the grand finale in Genoa, where Christopher Columbus first started sailing.

Because the event is hosted in the city for one to two weeks, it attracts a good number of visitors, creating good visibility and economic impact, says Brisius. It also brings ticket-free activities for citizens in race villages.

The next opportunity to host The Ocean Race is in 2025, and some cities are already committed and others in talks. Unsurprisingly, sustainability comes top of the list of evaluation criteria. “That’s important in the way cities bid for us. We want them to say how hosting the Ocean Race will change how they work around sustainability.

“The Ocean Race is about racing for a purpose. Sport should not underestimate its role in society.”

This interview was conducted at Global Sports Week Paris in February 2020

Aarhus confirmed as Host City for The Ocean Race 2021-22

Leg 11, from Gothenburg to The Hague, day 02 on board Vestas 11th Hour. 22 June, 2018. Jena Hansen saluting her home crowd in Aarhus (Photo: Jeremie Lecaudey/Volvo AB)

[Source: Sport Event Denmark] The Ocean Race will come to Aarhus, Denmark during the spring of 2022, following a popular ‘Fly-By’ of the city during the final leg of the 2017-18 edition of the Race.

The success of the Fly-By, where the fleet raced into the inner harbour of Aarhus port and around a turning mark in front of tens of thousands of fans, cemented the popularity of The Ocean Race in Denmark and made Aarhus a natural choice as the first ever Danish Host City for the next race.

Watch the video here

Richard Brisius and Johan Salén, co-owners of The Ocean Race, see long-term opportunities for all stakeholders with the selection of Aarhus as a Host City.

“The Ocean Race has long had significant ties to Denmark, with sailors, race and team partners and sponsors and of course, the successful Fly-By in the last race,” said Richard Brisius. “We now have an opportunity to strengthen those bonds even further going forward. The passion of the people of Aarhus, combined with the city’s experience of organising international events, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best sailors in the world.

“Aarhus is a modern, innovative city, with strong historical ties to the ocean and to sailing – as we saw when this same facility hosted the Sailing World Championships last year. Through the talent of great young sailors like Nicolai Sehested and Jena Mai Hansen, who competed in the last edition of the Race, plus veterans such as Jens Dolmer and Stig Westergaard, Denmark has long played an important role in the Race.”

“As the partnership with The Ocean Race demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt, Aarhus has achieved an absolutely unique position as a world-class arena for international sailing events,” said Jacob Bundsgaard, the Mayor of Aarhus. “When The Ocean Race docks in Aarhus in 2022, we can look forward to an epic sporting event for maritime Denmark and a fantastic celebration on the waterfront in Aarhus for everyone.”

The Mayor of Sports, Culture and Citizens’ Services, Rabih Azad-Ahmad, said: “It is absolutely amazing that The Ocean Race is coming to Aarhus. It is an event that is followed worldwide and is a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful city and bay. I am sure that The Ocean Race in Aarhus will set the stage for a huge maritime celebration with exciting experiences for the city's citizens and guests. We will use the opportunity to focus on sustainability and increase awareness of this important matter.”

Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, the national sporting event organisation that partners with major events across Denmark, added: “Aarhus has marked itself as Denmark's leading Host City for major international sailing events. Last summer, the very successful World Sailing Championships for all Olympic classes were held here, and now we look forward to The Ocean Race in 2021-22, where we will continue to focus on sustainability.”

For The Ocean Race, sustainability has long been a core value and has become an even bigger focus for the event looking forward. In 2017-18, the Race helped to spark a global movement against plastic waste, and a comprehensive sustainability initiative aims to educate and inspire millions around the world to make positive changes.

“In the last edition of the Race, our groundbreaking and award-winning Sustainability Programme set new standards for how a sporting event can engage its fans and stakeholders in attacking the problem of plastic pollution and restoring ocean health,” said The Ocean Race’s Johan Salén.

“I believe that by working in partnership with our Host Cities like Aarhus, as well as all of our stakeholders, we will be able to raise the bar even higher to ensure that our sport retains a leadership role in this critical area.”

Aarhus joins the Start Port of Alicante, Spain as confirmed Host Cities of The Ocean Race 2021-22, with more announcements expected in the coming weeks.

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