The Ocean Race

Some moments in #TheOceanRace stay with us forever. A decade ago, #TeamVestas Wind faced one such night – a dramatic chapter in the Race’s history. While navigating the Indian Ocean, their VO65 struck the hidden Cargados Carajos Shoals, bringing their journey to a sudden halt. 9 sailors. A stranded boat. Hours of teamwork and calm determination to ensure everyone’s safety. By sunrise, the crew was rescued – shaken, but thankfully unharmed. This moment remains a powerful reminder of the ocean’s unpredictability and the resilience of those who dare to race it. In The Ocean Race, the sea is the ultimate challenge – awe-inspiring and unforgettable. 📷 Brian Carlin / Team Vestas Wind

🚀 IMOCA boats are smashing speed limits like never before! Sébastien Simon clocked an unbelievable 615 nautical miles solo in 24 hours aboard Groupe Dubreuil - formerly 11th Hour Racing Team's Mālama! 🔥 Simon Fisher, 11th Hour Racing Team's navigator, during The Ocean Race 2022-23, is in awe: "It’s incredible to see these numbers! We knew the boat was fast, but 600+ miles solo? That’s next level." Innovation, skill, and relentless drive are pushing the IMOCA class to new heights. How much further can they go?  👉 Read more: https://shorturl.at/Cv2Sd #IMOCA #SpeedRecords #OffshoreRacing #TheOceanRace #VendeeGlobe

🚨 New Data from #TheOceanRace shows Europe is home to three of the world’s top five hotspots for marine microplastic pollution. Sailors collected water samples across 60,000km during the 2022-23 Race, revealing microplastics everywhere – even in the most remote waters. Some of the highest concentrations were found near the English Channel, the Balearic Sea, and South Africa, with over 17,000 particles per cubic metre. The details are alarming: 71% of these plastics were microfibers, which are the same type shed from washing machines, dryers, fishing gear, and discarded textiles. These particles, as tiny as 0.03mm, can infiltrate marine life, our food, and even human cells. It’s time to act. As global leaders meet this week to draft laws on plastic pollution, this data highlights the urgent need for action. 💡 Science is shining a light. Let’s use it to turn the tide. 👉 Read more: https://shorturl.at/CkB3O University of Rhode Island College of Arts and Sciences I MINKE Project UNEP-WCMC I National Oceanography Centre #GlobalPlasticsTreaty #INC5

At the recent The Ocean Race Summit in Alicante, we announced two new Volvo For Life Fund initiatives aimed at restoring coastal health.     Together with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Gothenburg, we aim to help preserve and restore biodiversity along coastal landscapes in two different parts of the world.     In the Indian Sundarbans we will focus on mangrove restoration together with the Nature Conservancy. The Indian Sundarbans is one of the world’s largest mangrove forests, providing a critical habitat for vulnerable species, including the Bengal tiger, and benefitting local communities with livelihood options and freshwater supply, which often gets contaminated and sees increased salinity due to floods.     And in Hakefjorden on Sweden’s West Coast, close to our corporate headquarters, we will help to restore eelgrass. We hope that these new collaborations will have long-reaching positive impacts on the biodiversity, natural ecosystems and population in these areas.    As I’ve said before, at Volvo Cars we believe that sustainability is about more than reducing CO2. Coastal health is deeply important to us as a company rooted in Gothenburg, and we’re determined to make a lasting impact on biodiversity and local communities.   Let’s drive change together.

Exciting news from #TheOceanRace Summit Alicante! Today, Volvo Cars, a Premier Partner of The Ocean Race, announced two transformative coastal health initiatives under the #VolvoForLifeFund, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the University of Gothenburg. These initiatives mark another step in our shared mission to champion ocean health and create a sustainable future. We're proud to see partners like #VolvoCars working towards preserving #biodiversity and supporting coastal communities. As Volvo Cars Head of Global Sustainability, Vanessa Butani, stated: "The health of our oceans and coasts is vital for biodiversity, climate stability, and the livelihoods of millions. Sustainability is about more than CO2 - it’s about restoring and protecting ecosystems.” A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at the #Summit as we continue to drive action for a healthier blue planet. 🙏 #RacingForTheOcean

📍 Today, at our Race HQ in #Alicante, Spain, we brought together teams, host cities, partners, and sailors for a Stakeholder #Conference to shape the future of #TheOceanRaceEurope 2025 and strengthen our commitment to #sustainability and ocean health. Race Chairman Richard Brisius opened with stories of persistence, family, and our deep connection to the ocean - values that define our race. From unforgettable moments of past editions and tales of challenges and triumphs, he reminded us of the legacy we share: the adventure, the competition, and the commitment to ocean health that unites us as a resilient ocean community. Representatives from teams, host cities and partners contributed to the programme by sharing plans and ambitions for how we can collaborate in the months and years ahead. More than a race, #TheOceanRace is a platform for the protection and restoration of ocean health. With 70% of global biodiversity lost in just 50 years, we are driven to leave a legacy of change - for our planet, our children, and the future of the ocean. Here’s to the journey ahead and the legacy we continue to build together. Thank you to our partners, host cities, and the sailors and teams who joined us today! 🙏 GVA Alicante Puerto de Salida #RacingForTheOcean #ConnectingEurope

Step into Sunday with a blue state of mind. 🌊🧘 #TheOceanRace #BlueMind

From Baku to Amsterdam, Dublin to Kiel, and now Almería, our team has been driving ocean action across #Europe and beyond: 📍 Baku, Azerbaijan and Amsterdam, Netherlands Race Chairman Richard Brisius was in Baku, at COP29 Azerbaijan last week, talking about ocean science and how #TheOceanRace can contribute critical ocean data for research, both during and outside of Race events. This week, he joined the Yacht Racing Forum during #METS to discuss #sustainability and collaboration at the Marine Mammal Advisory Group (MMAG) meeting with Damian Foxall, Imogen D. Price (IMOCA), and our 11th Hour Racing partner. 📍 Dublin, Ireland We were proud to contribute to the #OceanKnowledge2030 Conference, working with Lucy Hunt, Donal Griffin, Emma Horgan, Marine Institute Ireland, Niall McDonough, #OKEANO, and EU Mission Ocean & Water to advance ocean protection and restoration. 📍 Kiel, Germany Our Science Coordinator Stefan Raimund represented #TheOceanRace at the Shaping an Ocean of Opportunity AGM, collaborating with GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel and Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon. Stefan highlighted our Science Programme and its role in collecting critical data for ocean health. 🧬🌊 📍 Almería, Spain Today, Beatriz Beeckmans participated in the Sun&Blue Congress, joining representatives from 30 countries, the International Rafting Federation (IRF), the DG for Tourism Strategy of Peru, and the city’s councillor for Sports. The focus was on the power of sports as catalysts for positive change in ocean health and blue tourism. The Ocean Race is “always on,” taking meaningful action for the ocean during the Race and beyond. 💙 #RacingfortheOcean

We're so excited to have you with us next week hosting #TheOceanRace summit in Alicante Arianna Liconti! 🤩 Your passion and expertise are perfectly aligned with this crucial conversation on how sailing can drive meaningful action for ocean health. 🌊 We can’t wait to see the impact these discussions will have. #TheOceanRace #Summit #Alicante #RacingForTheOcean #OceanAction

More racing than ever before, a new 7 year partnership: Helly Hansen is back onboard! ⛵🌊   We’re teaming up with Helly Hansen as our Official #ClothingPartner through to 2031. From #TheOceanRaceEurope 2025, #TheOceanRaceAtlantic 2026 to the iconic around-the-world Race in 2027, this partnership will fuel #innovation, #performance, and #sustainability on the world’s toughest waters. And there’s more - #TheOceanRace merchandise collection developed by #HellyHansen will drop at #OceanLivePark in 2025! Get ready to gear up for the next chapter.🔥 👉 Read more: https://shorturl.at/yEJDK #TheOceanRace