Genova Prepares to Welcome The Ocean Race Europe 2025
The second edition of the European race was presented on Friday at the Genova Boat Show.
With The Ocean Race Europe 2025 stopover just under one year away, Genova is ramping up its preparations to host the event.

Genova’s deep connection with The Ocean Race has strengthened over the past six years, and the city will once again play a central role in hosting the world’s best offshore sailors and supporting programmes to protect and restore ocean health.
The Ocean Race Europe 2025 will be the next chapter in Genova's story with The Ocean Race, which began with The Ocean Race Summits and continued with in hosting the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Europe in 2021.
Then, by taking a leading role in ocean protection initiatives through The Genova Process (a series of workshops which led to a presentation on principles underpinning ocean rights in the United Nations Headquarters), Genova, through the leadership and support of Mayor Bucci, played a key role. Genova was then the setting for the Grand Finale of The Ocean Race in 2023, showing the city's partnership with the Race to be a positive force, benefitting sailors, teams and the ocean.
‘The Ocean Race Europe is a great opportunity to promote our city under the banner of environmental sustainability and ocean health, which led us to promote the Genoa Charter at the UN,’ said the Deputy Mayor of Genoa. ‘With The Ocean Race Europe we consolidate a new format that started right from our city in 2021: for the next edition there are all the ingredients for this collaboration to continue.’
“The Ocean Race Europe 2025 presents an exciting opportunity to build on the important work started through The Genova Process,” said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race. “In collaboration with the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, The Ocean Race Europe will focus on promoting a new, and respectful relationship between humanity and the ocean. Through this platform, Genova and other host cities will spotlight the urgency for increased ocean literacy and highlight the importance of aligning science, policy, education, and advocacy efforts for the benefit of ocean health.”
The racing itself promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with the IMOCA foiling boats, powered by the best sailors in the world, providing close, intense racing across Europe’s waters. Racing will start in Kiel, Germany on 10 August, continuing to Portsmouth, UK and then Cartagena, Spain before the fleet arrives in Genova, Italy on September 3-4 ahead of the departure for the race to Boka Bay in Montenegro on 7 September.
Throughout the stopover there will be the public Ocean Live Park (open from 3 September through 7 September), with fans having opportunities to engage with teams and the sailors in The Ocean Race Europe and to learn about the importance of the ocean, the challenges facing European waters, and the inspirational initiatives in place for citizens to play a part in ocean health and protection.
‘I am very happy to be able to resume the incredible journey that we started in 2021 with the first The Ocean Race Europe and continued last year with the Grand Finale of The Ocean Race,’ commented the Councillor for Sport and Tourism of the Municipality of Genoa. ‘Today we add another piece with the participation of Genoa as the stop over city for the new edition of the European regatta. I still remember the emotions I experienced on the stage at the Grand Finale together with the sailors and staff of The Ocean Race and I would like to thank Richard Brisius for his great cooperation: we are ready to embark on this new adventure together.
Events such as The Ocean Race and The Ocean Race Europe allow us to continue to promote our city all over the world, underlining, once again, the importance of sporting events in terms of tourism,’ added the city councillor. ‘With The Ocean Race Europe we continue our commitment to spreading the culture of the sea and its preservation. We have set the course with the Genova Process and we want to continue this important path’.
“We are in Genova this week to begin working with Mayor Bucci and his team to ensure that The Ocean Race Europe 2025 is not just a spectacular racing event on the sporting calendar, but an inspirational catalyst for change,” concluded Race Chairman Brisius. “Alongside Mayor Bucci, we will build on Genova’s legacy and leverage this platform to inspire action for the benefit of our ocean.”
The importance of Genova to The Ocean Race was on full display on Friday at the Salone Nautico where Richard Brisius to unveil the new trophy for The Ocean Race Europe - its first public appearance. Made of sustainable materials, The Ocean Race Europe Trophy will be a hard-earned prize for the teams racing across European waters next summer.