The Ocean Race route announced for 2027

The Ocean Race 2027 will open with the longest first leg in the event's 53-year history, organisers confirmed today. The fleet departs Alicante on 17 January 2027, bound for Auckland – a 14,000-nautical-mile passage that will send crews halfway around the world in a single stage.

The route takes teams south down the Atlantic, around the Cape of Good Hope, across the Southern Ocean and into the Pacific. It's a big ask for a first leg, compressing the most challenging conditions into a single passage rather than breaking them up across multiple stops.

“This is an amazing way to start The Ocean Race: with an epic leg that takes us halfway around the world from Alicante to Auckland,” said Boris Herrmann, skipper of Team Malizia. “This is where you learn about yourself and your teammates.”

Auckland marks a return to the City of Sails, which has previously hosted The Ocean Race 11 times. From there, the fleet heads to Itajaí, Brazil, before stopovers in the USA and Europe yet to be announced. The race concludes with a Mediterranean leg through the Suez Canal, finishing at AMAALA on the Red Sea.

Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi, helming DMG MORI Sailing Team, highlighted the intensity of the opening leg. “The route is really appealing, with the crossing of the Equator and entry into the Southern Oceans, all in a single leg, with a full crew! It will be very challenging and also very dynamic.”

All teams will race IMOCA foiling offshore boats and must include at least one female sailor in their crew throughout. The OnboardLive system, which debuted during The Ocean Race Europe, will provide real-time coverage from on board. With the recent introduction of Starlink satellites, we can look forward to plenty of jaw-dropping footage this time next year.

Paul Meilhat, who competed in the 2023 edition and won The Ocean Race Europe 2025, said the Southern Ocean legs were the highlight. "These 'XXL' legs are part of the DNA of the IMOCA class and The Ocean Race, with long periods at sea that create compelling and unpredictable scenarios."

Teams now have a year to prepare for one the toughest tests in offshore sailing. Subscribe to The Foil to get all the latest.