In major sporting and tourism news for the area, St. Pete-Clearwater has been named the U.S. destination for The Ocean Race, the iconic fully-crewed offshore sailing race around the world. One of the world’s big three sailing races, The Ocean Race is considered one of the most challenging team competitions in all of sport.
The Ocean Race will call the St. Pete-Clearwater area home May 4-16, 2027, before racers embark for Portugal across 4,500 nautical miles of open Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean Live Park race village will welcome visitors from around the globe and will be based at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, right along the downtown waterfront and in partnership with USF. The IMOCA fleet (60-foot foiling sailboats) will be berthed at the waterfront by USF during the stopover.
The Ocean Race has previously used Florida as a stopover five times in its more than 50-year history, and 2027 will mark the first time that Florida’s Gulf Coast hosts the iconic race. Our award-winning shores will welcome sailing teams as they race here from Itajai, Brazil. The St. Petersburg Yacht Club will anchor festivities during the 13-day stopover, though fanfare and activities will spread throughout the region.
“It’s an honor to be selected as the North American destination on this prestigious race that encompasses some of the globe’s most iconic coastal communities. Activities on and along our emerald waters are a quintessential experience for our 15+ million annual visitors and locals alike,” said Steve Grimes, chief marketing officer for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. “Everyone can expect a memorable stopover experience for The Ocean Race, which becomes a fantastic addition to our portfolio of major festivals and sporting events that give visitors a chance to experience our unique combination of 35 miles of award-winning white sand beaches, active waterfront and the urban oasis that St. Pete-Clearwater has to offer.”
Photo courtesy Lloyd Images / The Ocean Race
The Ocean Race will hold a series of free public events as part of its local stopover, such as team boat viewings and dock walks; sailing and ocean-themed exhibits; STEM and ocean science programming; and sustainability and ocean conservation showcases, among much more.
The 2027 race will start from its home port of Alicante, Spain, in January, as it takes the foiling, 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. Legs run from Alicante to Auckland, New Zealand, to Itajai, Brazil, to St. Pete-Clearwater, to Cascais, Portugal, and finishing at AMAALA in Saudi Arabia.
“The Ocean Race has always been defined by the cities and communities that embrace it, and this new transatlantic leg showcases everything the race stands for,” said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race. “Departing from the shores of St. Pete-Clearwater and arriving in the historic sailing waters of Cascais is a way to connect two coastal cities with enormous passion for the ocean. Florida has welcomed this race five times before; now it does so in a way that will bring the event to a whole new audience on the Gulf Coast. And to arrive in Cascais, where Portugal’s maritime heritage is felt on every cobblestone, is the best way to complete an epic transatlantic journey.”
Beyond elite sport, The Ocean Race has become a global platform for ocean health through its Racing for the Ocean sustainability program.
Working with scientists, policymakers, and educators worldwide, the initiative promotes ocean science, literacy, and action on marine protection. Through partnerships with research institutions such as the University of South Florida, the St. Pete-Clearwater stopover will help highlight the importance of protecting ocean ecosystems and advancing scientific understanding of the seas.
“We’re super excited to welcome The Ocean Race teams to our waterfront campus in downtown St. Petersburg, and to introduce our community to this incredible event,” said Tom Frazer, dean of the USF College of Marine Science. “Advancements in science, technology and ocean education will be on full display. This partnership with The Ocean Race is a natural fit for the College and the University of South Florida more broadly.”
Learn more about The Ocean Race and its 2027 competition here.