Alicante is already the home of The Ocean Race

The world tour by scales was born in 1972 in Portsmouth in Great Britain. He did it under the name Withbread. The idea was to go around the world, with a journey of almost 30,000 nautical miles, departing and arriving from the English port. It was like that for 13 years, from 1973 to 1985. It changed its headquarters nearby, to Southampton, where it was held for two editions, from 1997 to 2002. But from there, the course and the concept changed. The quintessential world tour decided to ‘Spanishize’, a bit like the Copa América is happening, he decided to leave his country of birth to come to Spain as the country of adoption.

Vigo was his first option. It changed its name to Volvo Ocean Race, it was in the 2005-2006 edition and in the next one it chose the city of Alicante to continue its journey away from the islands and leaving the past behind and setting up its headquarters for the 2008 edition. -2009 in the port of Alicante, where it has already taken root and where it has secured one more edition and probably two more.

The Ocean Race is on its way to spending 20 years in Spain, and although it obviously continues to maintain an Anglo-Saxon philosophy, it has not stopped opening and has more and more Spanish staff. Established for two decades, there has also been talk of the intention of local institutions and organizers that not only the 2026 edition, which is already officially signed and confirmed, but that the 2031 edition also leave the Port of Alicante.

And it is that the competitions, in addition to the economic subsidies that they may receive, must have a place of reference. The Vendée Globe has it with Les Sables d’Olonne, the Transat Jacques Vabre has it from Le Havre or the Route du Rhum has it from Saint-Malo. Well, Alicante is from The Ocean Race.

It is also true that this year The Ocean Race has barely escaped, after the economic crisis and the pandemic, there have been two delays in the scheduled start that was for last year, but the organization has made an impressive effort so that In the end there would be ten boats on the starting line, the IMOCA 60s, which are the latest generation star boats, and the old generation VO65s that will only do the stages that touch European ports.

A new concept of The Ocean Race has been born. And if they are able to consolidate the IMOCA 60 -we will see how capable they are of resisting in a regatta of these characteristics with a crew and not alone-, in the 2026 edition success is assured, because seen what has been seen the VO65 have been but without a doubt to go around the world they have passed the expiration date. Now all that remains is for there to be a Spanish ship again to complete the circle.