Global Ocean Race Takes Year Off

Sailing’s Global Ocean Race is delaying the start of its third round-the-world event by one year, in an attempt to introduce changes designed to increase its profile, with the Class40 yachts now scheduled to start in September 2014.

Organisers stated they will bring in a team of experts in media, ocean racing promotion and marketing and will also expand the number of classes in the race to allow single-handed, two-handed or fully-crewed entries. 

Global Ocean Race race director and CEO, Josh Hall, said: ‘We have successfully completed two Class40 round-the-world races. But we believe it is time for the race to fully evolve. To that end, we have created a new management structure bringing in some of the most experienced people in media, sponsorship and the marketing of a truly global yacht racing event. To permit our new team the appropriate timeframe to realise the planned levels of media and funding, we have decided to delay the race until 2014.’

Central to the new organisation will be a steering board, created to boost the organisation that supports the event.

Although names of the board and full details of the changes will not be released until the New Year, the board will reportedly include: a top TV producer who has overseen Olympic coverage; a former CEO of three major broadcasting organisations; a leading public relations professional; a specialist in sponsorship fund raising and management; and a commercial director with extensive international experience. 

Meanwhile, organisers said they have agreed a number of sponsorship deals for the event and can already confirm entry interest from at least eight projects.

The Global Ocean Race staged its first race in 2008/09, with a second edition in 2011/12.