The Ocean Race and the museum in Alicante

Many people still know this iconic sailing race by the name Volvo Ocean Race. Although the race went by this name for decades, from 2001 to 2018, thanks to Volvo’s sponsorship, the race changed its name in 2019. The official name is now simply The Ocean Race.

Originally, the race was founded in 1973 under the name Whitbread Round the World Race, named after the British brewery Whitbread, its first sponsor.

This was The Ocean Race Europe 2025

The Ocean Race Europe 2025 was a spectacular sailing race that got off to an immediate dramatic start for Dutch sailing. Team Holcim-PRB, with top Dutch sailor Rosalin Kuiper on board, was involved in a hard collision with the Italian boat Allagrande MAPEI Racing shortly after the start.

The damage to the hull of the Holcim-PRB was significant, forcing the team to return to Kiel for a race against the clock to repair the boat. After an immense effort by the entire team, they managed to resume the race. Despite this huge setback, the team fought back impressively and eventually managed to finish a very creditable third place in the final standings, proving their resilience and top class.

Aftermovie The Ocean Race 2025

About The Ocean Race

Since 1973, The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for teams and an unparalleled human adventure. For nearly 50 years, the race has had an almost mythical appeal to the sport’s greatest sailors. The Ocean Race is often described as:

• The longest and toughest professional sporting event and team sport in the world;

• One of the three major events in sports, besides the Olympics and the America’s Cup.

– Life on board

Each team has a sailing crew that races day and night, sometimes more than 20 days straight on certain stages. The conditions are extreme: crews are exposed to temperature variations from -5 to +40 degrees Celsius and often take only one change of clothes to save weight. To further minimize weight, sailors rely almost entirely on freeze-dried meals.

– Unique insight for fans

Since the 2008-2009 edition, there has also been a special On Board Reporter (OBR) on board. These media crew members do not contribute to the sailing of the boat, but are responsible for sending images and videos via satellite to the race headquarters in the middle of the ocean.

In the 2017-2018 race, the number of sailors varied between 7 and 10 (plus the OBR), depending on the male-female ratio, with the rules providing an incentive to have female sailors on board.

– 24-hour ocean marathon

The race is a 24-hour battle to be the best and an extreme marathon across the ocean, pitting the sport’s top sailors against each other in the world’s most challenging waters. The harshest weather conditions are usually found in the Southern Ocean, where waves sometimes exceed 46 meters and wind speeds can reach 130 km/h (70 knots).

– Tension to the finish line

The previous edition was the most exciting in history, with three teams running almost evenly toward the finish line. After 126 days of racing spread over 11 stages, the winning difference was only 16 minutes. The top three teams were separated by just four points.

The history of The Ocean Race

The history of The Ocean Race shows how the start and finish locations have changed, from the first races in the United Kingdom to new cities in Europe.

Since 2008, Alicante has been the permanent starting point, making that city now known as the starting point of this important sailing race. These changes show well how the race has grown over the years and become more famous worldwide.

– Start from the United Kingdom (1973-2002)

The first editions of the race traditionally started from ports in the United Kingdom, notably Portsmouth and Southampton. These cities acted as both start and finish points for multiple races:

• 1973-74: Start and finish in Portsmouth. 17 yachts and 167 crew began the first race of 27,500 nautical miles (50,900 km). About 3,000 spectator boats attended the historic start;

• 1977-78 / 1981-82 / 1985-86 / 1989-90 / 1993-94 / 1997-98: start and finish in Southampton;

• 2001-02: start in Southampton, finish in Kiel, Germany.

– Introduction of new starting places (2005-2006)

• 2005-06: Start in Vigo, Spain, and finish in Gothenburg, Sweden.

– Alicante as a fixed starting point (2008-present)

Since 2008, Alicante has been given a crucial and consistent role as the official starting city of The Ocean Race. This has put the city on the map worldwide as the gateway to this prestigious sailing competition.

• 2008-09: Start in Alicante on Oct. 11, 2008, finish in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The route was modified for the first time to include stopovers in India and Asia. This route covered nearly 39,000 nautical miles (72,000 km) and took more than nine months;

• 2011-12: Start in Alicante in October 2011, finish in Galway, Ireland in July 2012. Teams were scheduled to cover more than 39,000 nautical miles (72,000 km) via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajaí, Miami, Lisbon and Lorient;

• 2014-15: Start in Alicante on Oct. 11, finish in Gothenburg, Sweden in June 2015. With stopovers in Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport, Lisbon, Lorient, and a Pitstop in The Hague on the final leg;

• 2017-18: Start in Alicante, finish in The Hague, Netherlands. This race covered 45,000 nautical miles, the longest route in its history;

• 2023: Start in Alicante, finish in Genoa, Italy.

– Future editions

• 2027:

The fifteenth edition of The Ocean Race is scheduled for 2027 and will start again in January of that year from its home port of Alicante. This edition will once again sail with the high-tech, “flying” IMOCA fleet. The proposed route sends the teams from the Mediterranean down the Atlantic, deep into the Southern Ocean, and then around the infamous Cape Horn.

After rounding Cape Horn, the fleet will return to Europe via North and/or South America, with a finish scheduled in Amaala, Saudi Arabia.

Although the full route and dates for all stopovers have yet to be finally confirmed, Auckland, New Zealand, has already been announced as one of the stopovers. This will be the 12th time the race has visited the country and the 11th time Auckland has served as the host city.

– The Atlantic Ocean Race

This is a new transatlantic race scheduled for 2026. Teams will cross the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Barcelona. This edition adds a new dynamic to the racing program and provides a shorter but intense challenge for the IMOCA class;

Check out the route of The Atlantic Ocean Race in 2026:

The Ocean Race Museum in Alicante

For vacationers in Alicante, a visit to The Ocean Race Museum is an absolute must. This is the only museum in the world completely dedicated to this legendary sailing race. The museum offers an in-depth and interactive look at more than 45 years of the race’s history, including pioneering technological developments in the nautical industry.

– Protecting the ocean

Through audiovisual installations, games, models and more, experience the immense human effort involved in this sporting challenge. It is not only a celebration of sailing, but also highlights The Ocean Race’s important work on sustainability and ocean protection. The museum shows how the race is committed to raising awareness about the health of our oceans and how the event is organized as sustainably as possible.

– Experience the race interactively at the museum

The museum offers an impressive experience for visitors. You can immerse yourself in the world of offshore sailing with key attractions that give you the real-life feeling of sailing on the high seas:

• The Ride Simulator;

• 11th Hour Racing Team Virtual Reality tour.

In addition, you can visit a temporary exhibition Navigating history | 50 years of The Ocean Race. This celebrates the 50th anniversary of the event and takes you thematically through history, giving you a complete picture of the evolution of sailing around the world.

– More boats to view

You can also visit Brasil 1, a VO70 boat that participated in the 2005-06 edition. Step aboard and experience for yourself what life is like on such a boat and discover its stories and hidden corners.

Outside the museum and near the Explanada de Espana, you can see the Pirates of the Caribbean boat, which has been prominent in the Puerta del Mar rotunda since 2015. This boat had to abandon the first leg of the 2005-06 edition due to damage.

Visit the Ocean Race museum: practical information

A visit to The Ocean Race Museum in Alicante offers a unique opportunity to experience the world of this epic sailing race. Here you will find all the practical information for your visit.

– Location and accessibility

The museum is in a central location in the port of Alicante:

• Address: Museo The Ocean Race, Muelle de Levante nº10, Port of Alicante, 03001, Alicante

• Parking: you can park at Interparking or Parking Puerto, both located at Muelle de Levante, s/n

• Bus: several bus lines stop nearby:
  • Stop Plaza Puerta del Mar I: lines 14B, 21, 22, C-6
  • Stop Juan Bautista Lafora 2 – Puerta del Mar: lines 02, 14A, 21, 22

• Streetcar: streetcar line 5 stops at Porta del Mar

– Opening hours

The museum has different opening hours depending on the season. Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

• Summer (June 25-Sept. 16):
  • Wednesday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, Friday & Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• Closed on: Mondays, Tuesdays, Jan. 1 and Dec. 25

– Admission fees and activities

Admission to The Ocean Race Museum itself is free for all visitors. So you can explore the museum at your own pace. Specific fees apply for the more interactive experiences and tours:

• Immersive Experience Ticket (simulator “The Ride” and VR):
  • General adult: €5.
  • Reduced rate*: €3.
  • Free admission: 0-5 years and persons with disabilities

• Guided Tour (Guided Tour):
  • General visit: €8.
  • Reduced rate*: €6.
  • Free visit: 0-5 years and persons with disabilities

• Brasil 1 Tour (climb the yacht):
  • General ticket: €5.
  • Reduced rate*: €3.

– Combination packages

You can also personalize your visit with combo packages, which are more economical than single tickets:

• Tour + Immersive Experience:
  • General: €12.
  • Reduced*: €7.
  • Family-friendly (up to 6 years and persons with disabilities): €4.

• Brasil 1 + Immersive Experience:
  • General: €8.
  • Reduced*: €5.

• Tour + Brasil 1 + Immersive Experience:
  • General: €15.
  • Reduced*: €10.

Payment for all tickets and packages is made at the museum reception desk.

*Reduced fares apply to youth ages 6-17, or people with a youth card, university card, 65+, large families and unemployed.

– Schedule for activities

Please note that the Immersive Experience, Brasil 1 Tour and Guided Tours have specific times. Reservations for the Immersive Experience can be made at the museum’s front desk.

• Immersive Experience: every 40 minutes. Reservations and exact times at museum reception.

• Brasil 1 Tour:
  • Friday: 4:45 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.
  • Sunday: 10:15 a.m.

• Guided Tours (Guided Tours):
  • Friday: 4 p.m.
  • Saturday: 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Sunday: 10:30 a.m.

– Accessibility

The museum is easily accessible to all visitors:

• The museum is wheelchair accessible;
• There is an elevator to the café-restaurant, suitable for one wheelchair;
• Adapted restrooms are available;
• Along the exhibits are benches and seating to rest.

Enjoy your interactive journey through the history of The Ocean Race!

The significance of the race for Alicante & the Costa Blanca

The presence of The Ocean Race has a significant positive economic impact on Alicante and the Costa Blanca, with millions of euros in revenue and thousands of new jobs, especially in the hospitality and retail sectors, as hundreds of thousands of visitors explore the region and millions follow the race worldwide.

In addition, through the Racing with Purpose program, the race contributes to sustainability and the protection of the ocean through scientific research, education and the use of renewable energy, which is critical for the health of the Mediterranean Sea in this coastal region.