Helly Hansen and The Ocean Race Renew Partnership
December 04, 2024
2 min read
We are proud to announce the renewal of our long-standing partnership with The Ocean Race, known as sailing's toughest team challenge. With the extension of the partnership, we will be the Official Clothing Partner of The Ocean Race for the next 7 years.
Helly Hansen will provide professional grade apparel for the entire race organization, including partners and the on-water race management team, for 2 consecutive race cycles through 2031, with the first race cycle to include The Ocean Race Europe in 2025, The Ocean Race Atlantic in 2026 and The Ocean Race (around the world) in 2027.
The partnership between Helly Hansen and The Ocean Race unites our shared passion for the sport, bringing together the world’s best sailors and putting them and their gear to the test in some of the most extreme ocean conditions around the world.
Helly Hansen and The Ocean Race also have a shared dedication to sustainability and a commitment to respect and protect the environment. As the partnership progresses, we will continue to support The Ocean Race’s Racing with Purpose program, a platform that utilizes the unifying power of sport to educate, inspire and accelerate action towards a healthier ocean.
It is always rewarding to embark on a long-term journey with a trusted partner. Helly Hansen not only shares our commitment to advancing the sport of sailing through engagement and innovation, but the brand also shares our mission of protecting and restoring ocean health.
With nearly 150 years of knowledge, experience and expertise creating performance-driven apparel, Helly Hansen has developed lasting partnerships with sailing’s top athletes, including teams that have participated in and won The Ocean Race. Described as the ultimate ocean marathon, The Ocean Race is a demanding, round-the-clock adventure across the world’s toughest waters, making it an ideal environment for putting professional grade gear to the ultimate test.
“We are excited to extend and elevate our partnership with The Ocean Race, an organization that shares our passion for sailing, our dedication to innovation, and our commitment to respecting and protecting the environment,” says Carrie Ask, CEO, Helly Hansen.
“We believe that not only is The Ocean Race the toughest team sporting event, it is also the toughest testing lab on earth for our apparel, fueling our innovation and new product development. We look forward to actively engaging with sailing communities around the world, building awareness of ocean health, and inspiring action."
A new era
The Ocean Race is entering a new, ‘always on’ era, with ongoing ocean health initiatives and two additional races - The Ocean Race Europe (2025) and The Ocean Race Atlantic (2026) – building into the main, iconic, around the world event – The Ocean Race 2027, which is scheduled to start from Alicante, Spain in January 2027 and finish in AMAALA in the Red Sea six months later. Each of the events feature women and men racing together in the foiling IMOCA class, where innovation and technology combine to produce record-breaking performance.
As part of the partnership, Helly Hansen will launch an official merch collection, which will be available for race fans both online and in Ocean Live Park, the international stopover race villages, starting with The Ocean Race Europe in 2025.