For the first time in its history, The Ocean Race sailors will experience racing on the spectacular waters of the Red Sea.
AMAALA, a new sport and wellness destination on the Red Sea, will host the finish of the 15th edition of The Ocean Race in the summer of 2027. The Ocean Race – the mixed-crewed, offshore sailing race around the world first contested in 1973 – is known as the toughest test of a team in sport and for its award-winning ocean health initiatives. These core aspects of the Race will be on display and celebrated in AMAALA, as the fleet races across waters known for healthy, thriving coral reefs and an impressive range of marine biodiversity.
AMAALA is located in the northern part of the Red Sea, on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, and ocean research in the region – particularly around coral reef resilience in waters that are warming through climate change – is incredibly important for understanding how to mitigate the impact of temperature on the health of the ocean.
In the build-up to the 2027 race finish, The Ocean Race and Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer of AMAALA and the Regenerative Project Partner of The Ocean Race since 2022, will collaborate on ocean science and ocean health initiatives as well as ocean literacy and education programmes aimed at youth in the region, in line with the UN Ocean Decade Challenge of restoring society’s relationship with the ocean.
The Ocean Race and Red Sea Global are further committed to working together to support the sailors and race teams to take initiatives that drive change and make a meaningful impact on ocean health projects.
“From our work with RSG over the past three years, we have seen that AMAALA on the Red Sea is a destination with tremendous potential for significant engagement around ocean health. We believe we can have a role in raising awareness of the critical importance of the ocean in a region with a young population that is connecting with their coastline and celebrating their maritime tradition and heritage,” said Johan Salén, Director, The Ocean Race, during a launch ceremony on Friday.
“From a sporting perspective, this final leg in the northern part of the Red Sea will make for a thrilling conclusion to the around the world race with a short, final leg, in reliable sea breeze conditions, to the finish at AMAALA.”
The Ocean Race 2027 will start from its home port of Alicante, Spain in January 2027 and take the foiling, flying, high-tech IMOCA fleet out of the Mediterranean Sea, down the Atlantic and into the Southern Ocean before rounding Cape Horn and returning to Europe via the Americas. Between the start in Alicante and the race finish in AMAALA, additional stopovers will complete the race course. Dates for all stopovers and the race finish will be confirmed when the full race route is finalised. The penultimate leg of The Ocean Race 2027 will be from a European port to a finish line in the Mediterranean Sea off Port Said, Egypt. The race fleet will then assemble to transit together to the Red Sea via the Suez Canal for the start of the final leg – approximately 135 nautical miles – to the finish line just off AMAALA.
“Sailing has been at the heart of life along the Red Sea for centuries. Now it is set to host the Grand Finale of sailing’s greatest round-the-world challenge. The Ocean Race’s ambition to be a catalyst for change that accelerates the protection and restoration of our seas is perfectly aligned with our own mission to pioneer regenerative tourism,” said John Pagano, Group CEO, Red Sea Global.
A leading marine life institute, ‘Corallium’, focused on coral science research and also acting as an immersive visitor attraction to engage people in ocean conservation, will be part of the ‘Triple Bay’ marina facility hosting the Race at AMAALA, alongside a state of the art, four-storey yacht club.
“By bringing this prestigious, purpose-led international event to Saudi shores, we are helping to secure the future health of the Red Sea and the ocean around the world, while nurturing the next generation of Saudi sailors and building a sailing legacy for years to come,” Pagano concluded.
AMAALA is designed to seamlessly integrate meaningful spaces for both people and nature to flourish, and is underpinned by an ambition to protect and restore the fragile ecosystems of the Red Sea. From coral reef restoration to creating new mangrove forests, Red Sea Global is dedicated to achieving a 30 per cent net conservation benefit at AMAALA by 2040.
RSG is equally committed to promoting sustainable economic opportunities for local communities and aims to leave a positive, lasting impact on the region’s environment and cultural heritage. Since its inception, RSG has delivered a range of educational and vocational training programs, placing graduates into roles either directly or with operational partners at AMAALA’s sister destination, The Red Sea.
The hosting agreement with AMAALA is an extension and expansion of the original Regenerative Project Partnership between the Race and Red Sea Global, which was activated throughout the 2022-23 edition of the event.
This announcement of the finish venue for the 2027 race follows confirmation of the race route for The Ocean Race Europe and the creation of a new event, The Ocean Race Atlantic: New York to Barcelona. The Ocean Race is entering a new, ‘always on’ era, with ongoing ocean health initiatives and the two additional races building into the main, iconic, around the world event – The Ocean Race 2027.
