The 2027 edition of The Ocean Race—the storied round-the-world crewed raced that has previously been sailed as the Whitbread and the Volvo Ocean Race—announced its new route will take the fleet of IMOCA 60 monohulls to North America with a May stopover in St. Petersburg, Florida.
This, race organizers say, will be the first time in the event’s 54-year history that Florida’s Gulf Coast will serve as a race port. Florida has hosted the fleet five times with stopovers in Fort Lauderdale in 1990, 1994 and 1998 and then Miami in 2002 and 2012. The St. Petersburg-Clearwater stopover, which has been in planning for several years, is scheduled for May 4 to 16, 2027.
As the race’s North American stopover ports have long served as essential transatlantic prep stops for the shore teams and activation hubs for team sponsors, fan and spectator engagement is now central to the global event. For the sole US stopover, organizers say, St. Petersburg YC will host the “Live Park” race village while the boats will be berthed at the University of South Florida, south of downtown St. Petersburg.
The lively city of St. Pete, which sits on the waters of Tampa Bay, and Clearwater, its neighbor to the west on the Gulf Coast, have enjoyed a population and cultural boom over the past two decades thanks to the the county’s thriving art, food and sports scenes, as well as the tourism draw to St. Pete’s internationally acclaimed museums. Tampa Bay and the Gulf waters off Clearwater both have vibrant sailing scenes with plenty of regattas, but the Ocean Race will certainly be the center of attention next spring.
Newport, Rhode Island, homeport of 11th Hour Ocean Racing, winner of the last edition, had previously hosted the race, and with St. Pete/Clearwater’s announcement, the New England hosts congratulated the Floridians for their selection.
The host organization said in a statement, “After successfully hosting three North American editions, Sail Newport, Rhode Island’s Public Sailing Center, along with city, state, and community stakeholders renowned as advocates for the marine community, decided together in late 2024 not to pursue the 2027 event. The decision followed a thorough review of Sail Newport’s nonprofit mission, community priorities, and the rising financial demands of the Ocean Race host port bid. After consulting with community and government partners, Sail Newport weighed the resources required to deliver a world-class experience and local impact, ultimately prioritizing its core mission of expanding public access to sailing and marine education.
This is a remarkable opportunity for the Southeastern U.S. maritime community and a positive event for sailors and visitors. Newport had an immensely successful experience with the race and we fully support the St. Pete team in making this a wonderful event.”
Rob Britts, Stopover Director for St. Pete-Clearwater, and a competitive sailor himself, said, “The Ocean Race embodies much of what our community already represents: a deep tradition of ocean racing and a strong commitment to ocean science, sustainability, marine innovation, STEM education, and tourism. We’re incredibly excited to welcome this event and the global spotlight it brings, but we’re even more excited about the lasting legacy it can create for our community for years to come.”
The St. Pete-Clearwater stop will finish the race’s leg from Itajai, Brazil, and serve as the start port for the transatlantic leg to Caiscais, Portugal. While no details were provided regarding the spectator-friendly in-port races, with shallow waters, racing on Tampa Bay would be highly unlikely. However, racing could be held further offshore on the Gulf side of St. Petersburg.
Steve Grimes, chief marketing officer for Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, said, “It’s an honor to be selected as the North American destination in 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. Everyone can expect a memorable stop-over 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.”
St. Petersburg YC Commodore Christian Bergstrom, whose club hosts nearly 100 major regattas every year, adds, “For more than a century, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club has helped shape the sailing culture of Tampa Bay, hosting generations of sailors and world-class regattas. We are honored to see that legacy continue as St. Petersburg enters a new chapter and becomes the North American stopover for The Ocean Race in 2027.”
