How The Ocean Race connects elite sport with science, education, policy and local action

Die offiziellen Seiten und Lucy Hunts Funktion als Ocean Impact Director and marine biologist sind geprüft.

Show notes

The Ocean Race began as one of the toughest adventures in international sailing. Today, it is also a global platform that uses the emotional power and visibility of sport to create positive change for the ocean.

In this episode, Michael Herzog speaks with Lucy Hunt, marine biologist and Ocean Impact Director at The Ocean Race, about the evolution from the Whitbread Round the World Race to today’s Racing for the Ocean approach.

Lucy explains how The Ocean Race connects elite sport with ocean literacy, education, science, policy dialogue and local action. The conversation explores how racing yachts collect valuable ocean data, how young people can turn learning into action, and why cooperation with host cities, local NGOs and communities is essential.

They also discuss the Rights of the Ocean, The Ocean Race Summits, internal organisational culture and the difficult question of how to determine whether environmental and social impact lasts beyond an individual race or stopover.

In this episode

The origins of the Whitbread Round the World Race
The evolution from sporting adventure to Racing for the Ocean
Racing with Purpose and Racing for the Ocean
Ocean literacy and the Generation Ocean learning programme
Scientific data collection aboard the racing yachts
OceanPacks and essential ocean parameters
The role of The Ocean Race as a communicator, convener and catalyst
The Ocean Race Summits and the Rights of the Ocean
Itajaí, Brazil, and cooperation with local organisations
Working with NGOs, volunteers and host-city communities
Why local expertise and community ownership matter
Building sustainability into the culture of the entire organisation
Access and equity in ocean racing
Measuring long-term impact
How the emotional power of sport can provide a credible reason for hope

About Lucy Hunt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-hunt-05633030/

Lucy Hunt is a marine biologist and Ocean Impact Director at The Ocean Race. Her work connects the global sporting platform of the race with ocean education, scientific research, policy engagement, sustainable event practices and local action.

She is also researching how learning programmes influence ocean literacy and pro-environmental behaviour.

Links and further information

The Ocean Race https://www.theoceanrace.com/

Racing for the Ocean https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-for-the-ocean/about

History of the first Whitbread Round the World Race, 1973–74 https://archive.theoceanrace.com/en/history/1973-74.html

Ocean learning programmes https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-for-the-ocean/learning

Generation Ocean https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/learning/generation-ocean

The Ocean Race Science Programme https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-for-the-ocean/science

The Ocean Race Summits and policy work https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-for-the-ocean/summits-and-policy

The Ocean Race Summit Porto – 19 November 2026 Programme and registration details will be published by The Ocean Race: https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing-for-the-ocean/summits-and-policy

Redes Fantasma https://www.redes-fantasma.org/

Ocean Patrol Association, Portugal https://www.ocean-patrol.org/en

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