Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

The Ocean Race and Cabo Verde will team up to protect and restore ocean health

by The Ocean Race 20 Sep 2023 16:46 UTC
The Ocean Race 2022-23. 25 January 2023, Start of Leg 2 in Cabo Verde © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race

Following a successful stopover and hosting of The Ocean Race Summit in January 2023, Cabo Verde and The Ocean Race will focus on protecting and promoting ocean health through sport and science...

Cabo Verde and The Ocean Race have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that could see the island archipelago host stopovers and future meetings of The Ocean Race Summits in partnership with the iconic around the world sailing event.

The MOU would see The Ocean Race Summits - a congress of changemakers from across government, industry, NGOs and the scientific community - return to Cabo Verde, as well as the racing fleet during the next around the world races.

The arrangement was announced in New York on Monday afternoon by Ulisses Correia e Silva, the Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, who was participating in the latest The Ocean Race Summit by tabling a proposal to the General Assembly of the United Nations on Ocean Rights.

"Cabo Verde and The Ocean Race have established a special partnership through the signing of an MOU today. This collaboration is designed to promote the Rights of the Ocean, the Ocean Science programme, the blue economy and Cabo Verde as a tourist destination in water sports and eco-tourism," the Prime Minister said at The Ocean Race Summit, as Cabo Verde leads the charge on this critical diplomatic path forward to restoring ocean health.

"In Cabo Verde we have a partner who is pushing forward at the leading edge of a movement and shares our vision that sport can play a role in protecting the ocean," said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race.

"In January of this year we hosted a very successful edition of The Ocean Race Summit in Cabo Verde and together with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, we welcomed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the importance of Ocean Rights as a way to protect and restore health of the ocean.

"This week we have taken another step on that journey with the introduction of Ocean Rights at the United Nations. This is the first step towards a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights, in Cabo Verde, and in Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, we have a steadfast partner to join us on this mission in a way that will benefit all stakeholders of the Race."

Working towards a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights is part of The Ocean Race's multi-award winning 'Racing with Purpose' sustainability programme developed in collaboration with 11th Hour Racing, a Premier Partner of The Ocean Race and a Founding Partner of 'Racing with Purpose'.

The islands of Cabo Verde have long been a tactical landmark for sailors competing in The Ocean Race, who have historically needed to decide whether to weave between the islands, or to avoid the potential wind shadows by giving the archipelago a wide berth.

The 2023 race was the first time the race made a stop in Mindelo, Cabo Verde and the stopover was a great success with over 70,000 visitors to Ocean Live Park and over 2,200 school children taking part at in-person educational workshops.

The Ocean Race Summit in Mindelo had 344 participants and 40 international media covering the event. Speakers included: Ulisses Correia e Silva, Prime Minister Cabo Verde; António Guterres, United Nations Secretary General; António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal; Austelino Correia, The President of National Assembly of Cabo Verde; and Charlie Enright, the skipper of 11th Hour Racing Team.

The 14th edition of The Ocean Race finished in July in Genova, Italy with 11th Hour Racing Team (USA) as the winning team. As part of a ten-year plan, the next two editions of the around the world race will take place in 2026-27 and 2030-31, while The Ocean Race Europe will take place in August/September of 2025 and again in 2029.

Related Articles

The Ocean Race Europe will race into Portsmouth
Back in the game for the IMOCA race in the summer of 2025 The Ocean Race Europe, an offshore sailing race for the foiling IMOCA class, will include Portsmouth on the south coast of England, among its six stopovers. Posted on 16 Sep
Volvo Cars and The Ocean Race extend partnership
With a joint mission on ocean health Volvo Cars and The Ocean Race both share the strong commitment to a more sustainable future and to contribute and deliver actual change where it's needed, including in the restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Posted on 28 Aug
Franck Cammas awarded 2024 Magnus Olsson Prize
French 'sailor of the decade' is recognised for his spirit and impact on the sport Franck Cammas, the incredible French sailing champion, has earned another important accolade as he is named the winner of the 2024 Magnus (Mange) Olsson Prize. Posted on 9 Aug
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy concludes
The festival of sailing was contested by 700 sailors battling across seven classes The annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, which took place in Cascais, Portugal, came to a close on Sunday evening after two days of close and intense racing. Posted on 9 Jul
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy Preview
700 sailors ready to race in the 5th edition The annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy event is set to get under way this weekend from 5 to 7 July in Cascais, Portugal. Posted on 1 Jul
Bernardo Freitas to skipper Racing for the Planet
In the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2024 The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team announces that former team watch captain Bernardo Freitas (POR) will lead the Team in the 2024 edition of The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, in July. Posted on 9 May
The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy preview
A sustainable regatta that will see sailing boats take to the Atlantic coast of Portugal Organised in partnership with the Clube Naval de Cascais, the sustainable regatta will see a large number of sailing boats take to the Atlantic coast of Portugal, to raise awareness and important funds for marine conservation programs. Posted on 24 Apr
The Ocean Race will return to Genova
A key stopover for The Ocean Race Europe in 2025 The Italian city of Genova and The Ocean Race will extend their close relationship with The Ocean Race Europe bringing a fleet of foiling IMOCA race boats to the Mediterranean port in the late summer of 2025. Posted on 24 Apr
The Ocean Race joins world leaders in Athens
Nature's Baton and the Relay4Nature connect at Our Ocean Conference The Ocean Race joined world leaders at the Our Ocean Conference 2024 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, Greece on Tuesday, who had gathered to advance measures to protect and restore ocean health. Posted on 17 Apr
The Ocean Race sails into Athens
For the Our Ocean Conference UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean hands Nature's Baton to Greece's Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Oceans and Coordinator of the conference. Posted on 15 Apr
Cure Marine - Cure 55 - FOOTERPantaenius 2022 - SAIL & POWER 1 FOOTER ROWTrinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay