11th Hour Racing Sponsors TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR to Accelerate Sustainability and Gender Equity in Ocean Racing

Sponsorship expands efforts to drive sustainability and gender diversity across classes, teams, and leadership programs

11th Hour Racing announced today that it will serve as the Sustainability Sponsor of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie, a premier transatlantic sailing race. Nearly 150 skippers will depart from Le Havre, Normandy, France, on Oct. 26, 2025, aiming to arrive in Fort-de-France, Martinique, around Nov. 6, 2025.

Formerly known as the Transat Jacques Vabre, the race is also known as the Route du Café, reflecting its historic connection to the maritime coffee trade between France and the Americas.

With support from 11th Hour Racing, the event is significantly expanding its sustainability and inclusivity initiatives this year. For the first time, competitors will be prohibited from transporting their vessels home by cargo ship after the race, in an effort to reduce environmental impact. Teams must sail all vessels back to France on their own, unless they have sustained significant damage. Other sustainability measures include eliminating single-use plastics in the race village, providing water refill stations, and implementing on-site composting.

The race village, opening Oct. 17 in Le Havre, will feature exhibits and interactive programming focused on climate action, sailing innovation, and ocean health. Highlights include the Ocean Experience, supported by 11th Hour Racing—a multi-sensory experience, which brings the ocean and its ecosystems to life through videos and immersive media. One section will guide visitors through deep-sea biodiversity and share testimonials from skippers committed to ocean protection, designed to deepen visitors’ understanding of sustainability in sailing. Another area will showcase Martinique’s natural heritage and trace the history of coffee cultivation throughout the Caribbean.

Lorraine McKenna, sponsorship director at 11th Hour Racing, said, “For us, this is about more than just supporting a race. It’s a chance to show what’s possible when sustainability and inclusion are part of the starting line. We’re excited to help bring those ideas to life, both on the water and in the race village.”

11th Hour Racing is sponsoring two teams competing in the race—UpWind by MerConcept in the Ocean Fifty class and Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing in the IMOCA division—both of which are actively working to increase gender equity in professional sailing.

11th Hour Racing is also supporting UpWind by MerConcept’s immersive and interactive exhibit at the event, designed to inspire the next generation to take on leadership roles in offshore sailing. This commitment to inclusivity will be further highlighted during Sailing For All Day on Oct. 24, presented by 11th Hour Racing. The event will promote accessibility in sailing for all ages, abilities, and experience levels. Programming will include testimonials from disabled athletes, a Wim Hof method cold water swimming session, a sports and health conference, and the christening of the UpWind by MerConcept boat. Speakers from both 11th Hour Racing and UpWind by MerConcept will share insights on innovation and inclusion in the sport.

Antoine Robin, co-directeur général de la TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie, said, “Having 11th Hour Racing as an official partner of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR is a unique opportunity to promote the commitment of our event, whose slogan, ‘Take To Sea, Act For The Earth’, perfectly embodies our values. Being able to offer our audience a high-quality immersive experience is a challenge we have been able to rise to thanks to their involvement. It is also during the ‘Sailing for All’ day, sponsored by 11th Hour Racing, that we will be able to highlight our common goal of promoting inclusion in ocean racing. The collaboration with such a major actor is also an accelerator for our efforts to encourage the feminisation of sailing and protect the living world.”

This sponsorship aligns with 11th Hour Racing’s strategic goals to advance sustainability and gender equity in the marine industry. Together, these efforts reflect a long-term, collective commitment to driving meaningful change across the sport.

Header image credit: Jean-Marie Liot / Alea