Ocean Race anchors in Itajai again with two stopovers secured
June 16 (Reuters) - Ocean racing diehards have reason to cheer with Monday's announcement that Itajai is back on the map for both 2027 and 2031 when the Brazilian port will host the finish of the Southern Ocean leg, organisers of The Ocean Race confirmed.
The coastal hotspot in Santa Catarina has become a firm favourite on the round-the-world route, drawing more than a million fans to past stopovers as shattered sailors limp in from the world's wildest waters.
"Itajai is always a very welcome stopover for The Ocean Race and our sailors, not least because it usually comes after the longest leg at sea," said Johan Salen, Director of The Ocean Race.
"The passion the people in Itajai have for the Race and the leadership the team in Itajai has demonstrated in sustainable event excellence makes it a natural fit for a fifth consecutive stopover."
The city made a sustainability mark during the 2023 edition by eliminating over 300,000 single-use plastics and was Brazil's first to join the UN #CleanSeas campaign. Race officials confirmed the 2027 edition will again feature the cutting-edge foiling IMOCA yachts known for their record-breaking speeds.
"This is a partnership between this great event and the governments of Itajai and the state of Santa Catarina," said Robison Coelho, Mayor of Itajai. "Now planning begins to make this the biggest edition of The Ocean Race that Itajai has ever had."
The stopover's legacy extends beyond racing, with a donated fleet of small training boats now operating as a sailing school where The Ocean Race teams engage with local children during each visit, fostering ocean literacy and connection to the sea.
The Ocean Race is one of the world's most gruelling and prestigious offshore sailing events, taking crews on a months-long, round-the-world journey that tests the limits of endurance, teamwork and seamanship.
First held in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race, it has evolved into a high-tech contest of cutting-edge yachts racing across treacherous oceans, from the Southern Ocean to the North Atlantic. The race features professional sailors competing in legs between global ports.
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