Virtual Regatta and The Ocean Race Extend Their Partnership for 2022-23 Edition

15th January 2023

Banner for Virtual Regatta: The Ocean Race 2022-23

Virtual Regatta and The Ocean Race have renewed their eSailing partnership for the 2023 edition of the gruelling around-the-world yacht race.

The news follows the crowing of the latest eSailing World Champion in Alicante during festivities ahead of Leg 1 of The Ocean Race 2022-23, which got under way Sunday 15 January.

More than 200,000 players are expected to take part in the Virtual Regatta Offshore and Inshore versions of the race, which has seven IMOCA legs and three VO65 Sprint stages on Virtual Regatta Offshore — as well as new features for a virtual experience that promises to be even closer to reality.

“We are happy to be the official game of The Ocean Race for the fourth time and are proud to be associated with one of the world’s most important races, as well as an event that is committed to the protection of the ocean,” says Tom Gautier, head of Virtual Regatta Offshore.

“eSailing is steadily growing and attracting an ever increasing number of players. We expect more than 200,000 players on Virtual Regatta Offshore and Inshore over the next six months.”

In addition, 2023 is being touted as the year of the Metaverse for Virtual Regatta and The Ocean Race, who are being supported by Accenture.

“The Metaverse is a new and exclusive experience developed by Virtual Regatta and The Ocean Race, which soon onwards will allow people to follow the physical and virtual race in an all-digital race village,” Gautier said.

“Gamers and enthusiasts will be able to meet, watch the physical and digital event, and much more. This virtual reality setup will further enhance the fan experience.”

As official timekeeper of The Ocean Race in real life and on Virtual Regatta Offshore, Ulysse Nardin will present an official race watch to the winning eSkipper of the 2023 edition of The Ocean Race on Virtual Regatta Offshore.

A further eSkipper having crossed the finish line of the seven stages of the race will also have the opportunity to win a DIVER watch in a draw by bailiff. And there will be more prizes on offer as a reward for eSkippers’s skills throughout the race.

Another accolade up for grabs is the Stopover E-Cup, which will be based on Virtual Regatta Inshore and consists of eight IMOCA challenges taking place during the stop overs of The Ocean Race in between legs. The winners will be qualified for the semi-final of the eSailing World Championship and will receive prizes awarded by The Ocean Race.

The winner of each challenge of Virtual Regatta Inshore will qualify for a live final which will be broadcast in Ocean Live Park in Genoa and on social networks at the beginning of July. The winner will qualify for the semi-final of the eSailing World Championship.

For more details, see the official Virtual Regatta website HERE.

Published in Esailing, Ocean Race

Published in Esailing

Tagged under

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

Esailing & Virtual Sailing information

The concept of e-sailing, or virtual sailing, is based on a computer game sailing challenge that has been around for more than a decade.

The research and development of software over this time means its popularity has taken off to the extent that it has now become a part of the sailing seascape and now allows people to take an 'active part' in some of the most famous regattas across the world such as the Vendée Globe, Route du Rhum, Sydney Hobart, Volvo Ocean Race, America’s Cup and some Olympic venues too, all from the comfort of their armchair.

The most popular model is the 'eSailing World Championship'. It is an annual esports competition, first held in 2018 and officially recognised by World Sailing, the sports governing body.

The eSailing World Championship is a yearly competition for virtual sailors competing on the Virtual Regatta Inshore game.

The contract to run the event was given to a private company, Virtual Regatta that had amassed tens of thousands of sailors playing offshore sailing routing game following major offshore races in real-time.

In April 2020, the company says on its website that it has 35,000 active players and 500,000 regattas sailed.

Virtual Regatta started in 2010 as a small team of passionate designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs gathered around the idea that virtual sailing sports games can mix with real races and real skippers.