The city was yesterday confirmed as a Southern Ocean stopover for the 2027 edition — the first time since 2018 — marking the 50th anniversary of the event.
Speaking at the launch against the backdrop of Steinlager 2, the Ocean Race chairman Richard Brisius reflected on the deep history between Auckland and the race.
‘‘Auckland and the Ocean Race share a bond that stretches back five decades, to the very first time the Whitbread fleet raced through the Southern Ocean before sailing into the Hauraki Gulf,’’ Brisius said.
‘‘The City of Sails has welcomed the race 10 times, and every time the fleet arrives here, you feel it: this is a place that genuinely understands what offshore sailing demands, and what it means.
‘‘To be here with Steinlager 2, the boat that Sir Peter Blake and his crew sailed to one of the most extraordinary clean sweeps in the history of our race, is a reminder of just how deeply our stories run together.’’
Skippered by Blake, Steinlager 2 famously won all six legs of the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race, a feat that is widely regarded as one of the most dominant performances in offshore sailing history.
The 2027 edition will be the first in which the entire fleet sails foiling IMOCA boats — 60-foot high-performance ocean racing monohulls capable of speeds exceeding 30 knots.
The Sir Peter Blake Trust has been confirmed as the official charity partner and a three-part documentary, Hell of High Water, featuring the story of Blake and his all-Kiwi crew who reshaped global sailing, was also announced.
The fleet will arrive in Auckland in late February 2027, with a Coastal Race and Pro-Am racing in March, before departing for the second leg of the Ocean Race on March 14. — Allied Media
