VELUX 5 OCEANS is recognised as the longest and toughest sporting event in the world – a single-handed race over five oceans in a Formula 1 racing yacht through the most extreme weather conditions on the planet.
This year, the race will be even more challenging, with fewer stops and greater distances. It starts on 22 October at Bilbao in Spain and will be run in three stages, with stopovers in Australia and the USA. The race will take the participants across five oceans, including the fearsome, ice-cold and treacherous Southern Ocean. When they cross the finishing line at Bilbao, the participants will have sailed more than 30,000 nautical miles.
Only 126 intrepid sailors in history have completed a single-handed circumnavigation. To put that into perspective, 400 astronauts have ventured into space and more than 2,000 people have reached the summit of Mount Everest. VELUX 5 OCEANS is an event to be undertaken only by the toughest and most experienced yachtsman. 8 skippers are ready for race start in Bilbao.