St. Petersburg to Host 2027 Ocean Race North American Stopover

St. Petersburg, Florida, has been selected as the North American host city for a leg of The Ocean Race 2027, a globally renowned offshore sailing competition. This marks the first time the race will make a stop on Florida’s Gulf Coast . The event is scheduled to take place from May 4-16, 2027, with the St. Petersburg Yacht Club serving as the central hub for race-related activities .

A Challenging Global Competition

The Ocean Race is considered one of the most challenging professional sporting events in the world, alongside the Olympics and America’s Cup . The 15th edition of the race will commence in Alicante, Spain, on January 17, 2027, featuring a fleet of IMOCA 60-foot sailboats embarking on a 14,000-nautical-mile opening leg to Auckland, New Zealand . From New Zealand, teams will proceed to Itajaí, Brazil, before arriving in St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg’s Role in the 2027 Race

Following the stopover in St. Petersburg, the teams will depart on a 4,500-nautical-mile journey to Cascais, Portugal . The race will conclude with a sprint down the Red Sea to AMAALA, Saudi Arabia, a first for the competition .

During its 12-day stay in St. Petersburg, the waterfront area will be transformed into a “race village,” offering public access to exhibits, team boat viewings, and interactive displays . The St. Petersburg Yacht Club will serve as the primary location for public events, while the IMOCA fleet will be docked along the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus .

Economic and Community Impact

Mirko Groeschner, the organization’s director of marketing and new business, highlighted St. Pete/Clearwater’s “dynamic venue with very good infrastructure and a lot of local support” as key factors in the selection process . Rob Britts, the stopover director for St. Pete-Clearwater, emphasized the event’s potential to create a lasting legacy for the community, aligning with the area’s commitment to ocean science, sustainability, and marine innovation .

Florida’s History with The Ocean Race

Florida has previously hosted The Ocean Race five times, with Fort Lauderdale serving as a base in 1989-1990, 1993-1994, and 1997-1998, and Miami hosting in 2001-2002 and 2011-2012 .