Announced in December 2025, the partnership builds on more than a decade of collaboration between the two organisations and reflects a shared belief that elite sport can, and should, act as a platform for positive change. Sustainability, ocean science, education and equity are no longer peripheral initiatives, they are now embedded at the core of one of offshore racing’s most high-profile events.

A decade of purpose-led collaboration

11th Hour Racing has been a founding partner of Racing for the Ocean, The Ocean Race’s award-winning sustainability programme, supporting the integration of science, education and responsible event operations across multiple editions of the race. Over the past ten years, this collaboration has delivered tangible outcomes: advances in onboard scientific equipment, expanded open-access ocean data, and the development of an ocean literacy programme now reaching learners in 13 languages.

Reflecting on the partnership, Jeremy Pochman, Co-Founder and CEO of 11th Hour Racing, highlighted the importance of long-term collaboration in driving real progress. Together, he noted, the partners have demonstrated how sustainability can be operationalised within elite sport rather than remaining a narrative aspiration. He commented: “As we join forces again for The Ocean Race Atlantic, we’re committed to setting a new benchmark for equity and access in offshore racing for women to compete with parity at the highest level of the sport”.

This latest chapter leverages the transatlantic scale and visibility of The Ocean Race Atlantic to amplify that impact—using the race not just as a competition, but as a global stage for innovation and leadership.

Breaking new ground on gender equity

Perhaps the most significant development is the introduction of mandatory gender-balanced crews. For the first time in the 52-year history of The Ocean Race, every team competing in the Atlantic event will be required to field crews made up of two women and two men.

While women have long competed in the race, including in all-female crews, this rule marks a structural shift. Gender parity is no longer optional or incentivised; it is required. The aim is clear: to remove systemic barriers and ensure women compete with parity at the highest level of offshore sailing.

Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race, described the move as a “real step forward” for equal opportunity, underscoring the belief that lasting change requires more than incremental adjustments. By embedding equity into the rules of competition, the organisers are redefining what excellence looks like in the sport. He said: “We have long championed creating opportunities for female sailors in The Ocean Race and over recent editions have had a number of rules and incentives to ensure a minimum number of women on board. But this is the first time we will have gender-balanced race crews on each and every boat, which we believe is a real step forward in terms of equal opportunity”.

Science, sustainability and legacy at sea

Set to begin in September 2026 from New York City, The Ocean Race Atlantic will feature the foiling IMOCA class boats in fully crewed configuration—combining cutting-edge performance with a renewed focus on responsibility and impact.

Beyond the racing itself, the event will act as a floating laboratory for ocean science, supporting the collection of vital data from some of the planet’s most remote waters. Onshore, start and finish venues will showcase sustainable event practices designed to deliver positive local legacies, from reduced environmental footprints to community engagement.

Ocean literacy remains a central pillar of the partnership, connecting audiences around the world with what Lucy Hunt, Ocean Impact Director of The Ocean Race emphasised: “Working with 11th Hour Racing enables The Ocean Race to continue on our shared journey as leaders in pushing offshore racing towards a more equitable and sustainable future, on and off the water and most importantly continue to connect communities with the blue heart of our planet – the ocean”. Education, access and inclusion sit alongside climate and environmental action as equal priorities.

Redefining leadership in offshore sport

Taken together, the Impact Partnership between 11th Hour Racing and The Ocean Race Atlantic represents more than a sponsorship agreement. It is a statement of intent about the future direction of offshore sailing, one in which performance, equity and sustainability are inseparable.

By setting clear standards on gender parity, embedding science into competition, and demonstrating how major events can operate responsibly, the partnership offers a blueprint not just for sailing, but for global sport more broadly. As the countdown to 2026 begins, The Ocean Race Atlantic is positioning itself not only as a test of endurance and skill, but as a benchmark for what purposeful sport can achieve.