The Ocean Race Atlantic leaves New York on 1 September, bound for Lorient in France. Each of the six IMOCA crews must be made up of two women and two men. It is the first time in the race's 53-year history that 50/50 gender parity has been required. According to the organisers, very few international sporting events set such a rule.
The requirement follows a gradual increase in the number of women in the fleet. In the 2014-15 edition, women accounted for 18% of the competitors. In 2022-23, when every team had to carry at least one woman on board, the figure rose to 28%, the highest the race has recorded.
Francesca Clapcich, the first Italian woman to win The Ocean Race, in 2022-23, and skipper of Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing in the coming race, said: "This new rule places world-class women sailors in the most visible, highest-performing setting in ocean racing, and it sends a message to every young sailor watching from the dock or from the sailing club: there is a place for them in this sport. The rules of the game are changing, and belonging is not something you have to earn by making yourself smaller to fit in. This is a move towards a better working environment for all sailors, and we hope to see a world one day where it is normal for women and men to compete freely, without fear of being discriminated against for who they are, in the sport we all love."
Paul Meilhat, skipper of Biotherm, the team led by United by the Ocean in The Ocean Race 2022-23, had already gone past the requirement for one woman in the crew, sailing with two men and two women on three of the seven legs. "The new rule is a positive step," he said. "I have sailed alongside women for 20 years, and their contribution matters as much as that of the men in the team. A 50/50 crew means more chances for women sailors to compete at this level. In the end you want the best possible team, and different experiences, skills and ways of thinking can only make us stronger."
On the way to France the teams will follow the Gulf Stream.
A programme of events around the start and the finish is supported by Impact Partner 11th Hour Racing and is built around diversity, equity and inclusion. Two technical clinics for women interested in technical careers in sailing and the marine sector are held with The Magenta Project in Newport, Rhode Island (24-25 August) and in Lorient (9-10 September). New York hosts a round table on equitable leadership in sport and industry on 27 August. The Brooklyn Bridge Sail Club (28-29 August) and the Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly in Lorient (12-13 September) give under-represented communities the chance to get on the water and learn the basics of sailing.
On 29 August the Brooklyn Bridge Marina hosts an interactive morning on the role of the ocean in sustaining life on Earth and on the science behind ocean racing. It is aimed at girls aged 8 to 14 from the Women's Sports Foundation, with actress and ocean activist Bailey Bass taking part. In Lorient, on 9 September, the documentary Women from the Sea is screened, followed by a discussion.
Rebecca White, Senior Advisor Ocean Literacy & Learning, Accessibility and Equity at The Ocean Race, said: "The ocean is for everyone, but opportunities in sailing have historically been limited. We are working to turn that around, creating more routes for women and under-represented groups to be part of the sailing world, both as athletes and in the many roles that make up the industry as a whole."
"Running elite competition with a crew that is 50/50 women and men in the same team is a significant step, not only in sailing but in sport in general. We hope this inspires others to take steps towards greater equality, and that one day rules like these are no longer needed, because equal representation will have become the norm."
The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026 is the first point-to-point competition in the history of The Ocean Race and is supported by Impact Partner 11th Hour Racing.