The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) 2023 is the 50th-anniversary celebration of the original Whitbread Round the World Race (WRTWR), the first fully crewed round-the-world race in 1973. It was founded by Australian adventurer and circumnavigator, Don McIntyre. It features yachts similar to those used at that time. Except for safety equipment, no modern technology is allowed. The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) set sail with 14 teams on September 10, 2023, from Ocean Village in Southampton (UK), to circumnavigate the globe with 3 stopovers: Cape Town (South Africa), Auckland (New Zealand), and rounding Cape Horn, Punta del Este (Uruguay), before returning to Cowes (Isle of Wight, UK) in April 2024.

The main prize is the Ocean Globe Race Winners perpetual IRC Trophy awarded to the yacht with the lowest IRC corrected sailing time. Other prizes are the IRC prizes per class (Flyer, Sayula and Adventure), the Line Honours prize per leg (first boat without considering handicap) and the Spirit of the OGR prize, attributed to the most deserving entrant across the fleet.

Maiden clinched the ultimate victory in the Ocean Globe Race 2023, claiming the top spot in the IRC standings and making history as the first all-female crew to triumph in a round-the-world sailing competition.^[1] The skipper was Heather Thomas.^[2]

By winning leg 1^[3] and leg 2,^[4] Translated 9 is the yacht that won more legs. Translated 9 is co-skippered by Marco Trombetti (also shipowner), Vittorio Malingri, Simon Curwen, and Nico Malingri. Translated 9 was leading leg 3 when retired due to a crack on the hull,^[5] but managed to repair it and join the fourth leg just in time. After taking the lead again in leg 4 they retired due to the same hull problem. Triana, the French boat skippered by the entrepreneur and sailor Jean d'Arthuys won the 3rd leg. Leg 4 was won by Pen Duick VI skippered by Marie Tabarly.

Line Honours

Line Honours (real-time) rewards the fastest boat in the fleet for each leg without considering the different shapes of the yachts. Leg 1 was won ^[6] by Spirit of Helsinki, skippered by Jussi Paavoseppä, Leg 2^[7] was won by Translated 9, co-skippered by Marco Trombetti and Vittorio Malingri, Leg 3^[8] and Leg 4^[9] was won by Pen Duick VI, skippered by Marie Tabarly.

The yachts are divided into 3 classes: Flyer, which includes yachts previously entered in 1973, 1977, or 1981 WRTWR, or of 'relevant' historic significance and 'approved' production-built, ocean-certified, sail-training yachts generally 55 ft to 68 ft LOA; Sayula (56.1 ft-66 ft); Adventure (47 ft-56 ft).

At the start, the fleet consists in 14 teams from France, Italy, Spain, Finland, the UK, the US, South Africa, and Australia, with approximately a 30% quota of female sailors.^[11] Flyer Class: Translated 9 (Italy), Pen Duick VI (France), Maiden (UK), L'Esprit D'Equipe (France), Neptune (France). Sayula Class: Evrika (France), Spirit of Helsinki (Finland), White Shadow (Spain), Explorer (Australia). Adventure Class: Triana (France), Outlaw (Australia) Sterna (South Africa), Godspeed (USA), Galiana WithSecure (Finland).

Each crew consists of at least 70% non-professional sailors, one woman and one sailor under 24 years old. For this reason, the OGR is defined as a global adventure for ordinary sailors on standard yachts. A distinctive feature of the OGR is the limited use of modern technology on board: computers, satellites, GPS, and high-tech materials are prohibited. Teams navigate using sextants and receive weather forecasts through radio fax. The OGR is considered a testament to human endeavor, emphasizing team spirit and sheer determination.^[12]

Don McIntyre is the founder and Race Director of the Ocean Globe Race. He is also the organiser of the Golden Globe Race 2022, which was awarded the title of Event of the Year' at the British Yachting Awards 2023.