Riyadh: The Red Sea Global announced the launch of the new sailing team, Team AMAALA, which will participate in The Ocean Race Europe 2025, one of the world's most prestigious sailing races, extending across several stages from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the addition of Team AMAALA to the race marks a new chapter in Red Sea Global's growing relationship with the sport of sailing, reflecting its broader commitment to protecting the oceans and ensuring their sustainable future. The team will be led by the renowned Swiss sailor Alan Roura, who has extensive experience in ocean races and a distinguished record in the IMOCA class for high-performance yachts measuring 60 feet (18.3 meters).
Red Sea Global CEO John Pagano stated: "We are building integrated destinations guided by science and inspired by nature, aiming to enhance the well-being of humans, society, and nature together. We also believe that conscious tourism can be a driving force for positive change and a means to empower destinations to thrive and sustain."
He added that through The Ocean Race Europe and the participation of Team AMAALA, they have a global platform to highlight this solidarity for a shared future. Pagano emphasized the importance of a collective will to protect the oceans and the natural inspiration it provides for sailors.
Pagano continued by expressing the significance of the project for the added value it brings to their identity and the broad international presence it provides, which enhances their global standing. He noted that they have been part of The Ocean Race family since 2023 through Red Sea Global, and this moment is for Team AMAALA to raise its flag globally and create a real connection between the global sailing community and the yachting lifestyle, a fundamental pillar of the destination's experience.
The 2026 race will see a transatlantic journey from New York to Barcelona, followed in 2027 by a round-the-world race, where the AMAALA destination, affiliated with Red Sea Global, will be the grand finale station for this global event.
As part of its participation in The Ocean Race Europe, AMAALA will become an official supporter of the race's science program, both in the 2025 Europe edition and the 2027 global race. The science program plays a pivotal role in collecting comprehensive ocean data during the races, including water temperature, salinity levels, oxygen and carbon dioxide, concentrations of microplastic particles, and environmental DNA. This data will be shared with international scientific organizations to support researchers in understanding changes occurring in European waters. During the previous round-the-world race in 2023, researchers and scientific entities were provided with more than four million data points.
Among the beneficiaries of this data is "Corallium," the marine life center affiliated with the AMAALA destination, which is a global center for ocean conservation, education, and awareness, scheduled to open later this year.
Red Sea Global's partnership with The Ocean Race began in 2023, affirming their shared commitment to ocean health, education, and environmental awareness. In 2024, AMAALA was officially selected as the destination for the final stage of the 15th edition of the race in 2027, as the first race to be held and concluded on the Red Sea coast.