The Ocean Race, scheduled to start in 2022, will be raced in two dynamic classes of boats: the high-performance, foiling, IMOCA 60 class and the one-design VO65 class which produced such close, compelling racing in the last two editions of the race.

Entries in the IMOCA 60 class will compete for The Ocean Race trophy, while those racing the VO65s will chase The Ocean Race Trophy for VO65.

 

The IMOCA 60

The addition of the foiling IMOCA 60 class adds a high-performance and design aspect to the race after the last two editions of one-design racing, where all boats were identical. This shift means the teams will be pushing the envelope of technology with boats that foil above the water at extremely high speeds.

The IMOCA 60 class is at the cutting edge of technology for offshore monohulls and the sailors and designers will be chasing every technical advantage they can find.

 

The VO65

In the last edition of the race the VO65 produced record-breaking speeds, with team AkzoNobel setting a new 24-hour distance record.

The racing was also the closest in the 45-year history of the event with three teams approaching the finish line of the final leg with an opportunity to win the overall title. The winning margin for Dongfeng Race Team was just 16-minutes after 126 days of racing.

The 2022 event will mark the third lap of the planet for the robust VO65 fleet.