The Golden Age of fully crewed ocean racing around the world seems a distant memory.

Huge budgets and elite professionals racing custom carbon yachts costing upwards of €7m, that 'fly' on foils steered by sophisticated autopilots, rather than sailors, where shore teams via satellite are making tactical decisions are the new norm and it is very exciting. Technology moves so fast that sailors the world over, while marvelling at these advances, have been left behind and look back fondly at the Corinthian days of the 1973 Whitbread Race and dream.

A time when adventurous sailors put together their own private campaigns, when skippers and crew made all decisions and the fleet was evenly matched on IOR have long gone. It was a time when budgets played a small part, technology was minimal and humans dared to achieve.

Well it’s time for a reality check. Time to step back, slow down, take a deep breath and experience life defining moments and life changing experiences!

Following the hugely successful 50th anniversary Golden Globe Race in 2018, and again in 2022, McIntyre Adventure is proud to have launched the 50th anniversary celebration of that first fully crewed Whitbread round the world race in 2023. The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) set off with 14 teams on September 10th 2023 from Southampton, following the same route as the clipper ships and the inaugural 1973 Whitbread Race in similar, affordable yachts and generally amature sailors. It was a huge success with over 220 sailors living their long held dream of racing around the world via the three great capes and around Cape Horn. Emotions and adrenaline ran high, month after month. These amazing sailors from all walks of life and all ages achieved  what originally was considered by many an impossible dream. Lives were changed and stories were told! Records were broken and a new era of RTW Ocean Racing was born. The Whitbread had returned.

The Ocean Globe Race is the future of accessible around the world ocean yacht racing for any sailor and has a strong future. This opportunity returns after nearly 30 years and is set to inspire and capture the imagination of sailors and passionate followers the world over. Much was learnt from this 2023 inaugural OGR edition. Many small but important updates have been incorporated for 2027. Currently nine teams are preparing for the 2027 OGR as sailors grasp what this opportunity truly means.

You do not need huge budgets to enter. You simply need passion, a good team of sailors and the will to make it happen.

Good luck and we hope to see you on the line in Sept 2027.

Don McIntyre
Ocean Globe Race Founder