Helly Hansen, the leading global sailing brand trusted by professionals worldwide, has been named the Official Clothing Supplier to DMG MORI Sailing Team, equipping the IMOCA team with professional grade, performance-driven gear for both The Ocean Race Atlantic in 2026, the race’s first-ever transatlantic point-to-point challenge, and The Ocean Race around the world in 2027, one of the most demanding tests in team sport.
Skippered by Japanese legend Kojiro Shiraishi, DMG MORI Sailing Team is among the six mixed-gender crews competing in The Ocean Race Atlantic, which starts on September 1 in New York City and finishes in Lorient, France. The team will race aboard its recently launched IMOCA, DMG MORI GLOBAL ONE, a technical masterpiece that represents a bold design departure from the current IMOCA fleet.
Known for his infectious spirit and extensive offshore racing experience, Shiraishi aims to connect the world through the beauty of ocean racing. In 1994, at the age of 26, he became the then-youngest skipper to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation. He later completed multiple solo round-the-world races and, in 2016, became the first Asian sailor to compete in the Vendée Globe. During the 2020/2021 edition, he made history as the first Asian skipper to reach the finish line, and most recently, completed the Vendée Globe 2024/2025, marking his second consecutive finish of the iconic event.
Racing with Shiraishi in The Ocean Race Atlantic are:
· Samantha Davies (UK) – an experienced and accomplished sailor in The Ocean Race; skipper of Team SCA for the 2014/2015 Volvo Ocean Race, with a fully female crew
· Nicolas Lunven (FRA) – one of the leading sailors in offshore racing; finishing 6th in his very first Vendée Globe in 2024/2025
· Arisa Moriya (JPN) – a professional Japanese sailor and navigator, who notably served as tactician for the first Asian team to win the Student Yachting World Cup in 2017
“Technology-driven and with an aim to promote the sport of sailing worldwide to the next generation of young talents, the DMG MORI Sailing Team is a natural partner to Helly Hansen, and together, we share a commitment to pushing boundaries on and off the water,” said Gabriele Galaverni, Brand Partnerships Director at Helly Hansen.
The announcement builds on a longstanding relationship between Helly Hansen Japan (Goldwin Inc.) and DMG MORI Sailing Team skipper Kojiro Shiraishi. For more than 20 years, Shiraishi has trusted Helly Hansen apparel during offshore campaigns around the world, laying a strong foundation for this next chapter.
“Throughout his career, Kojiro has exemplified the determination, resilience and drive that define both offshore sailing and the Helly Hansen brand,” added Atsufumi Koga, General Manager of Helly Hansen, a business unit of Goldwin Inc. in Japan. “We’re proud that Kojiro and his team have trusted us to equip them for the demanding, relentless challenge of The Ocean Race, and we look forward to drawing on their expertise and experience to help shape the future of performance sailing gear.”
“Offshore racing demands absolute trust in your gear. It has to be strong in tough conditions,” said Shiraishi. “When you are thousands of miles from shore, you can’t take a lot with you or carry replacements, so every piece matters. In these races, the performance of your gear is directly connected to safety. That’s why my longstanding partnership with Helly Hansen means so much to me – I trust their gear with my life. With Helly Hansen, I know I can make it through a storm and stay focused on the race, regardless of the conditions.”
A global leader in technical sailing apparel and Official Clothing Supplier of DMG MORI Sailing Team as well as an Official Partner of The Ocean Race organization, Helly Hansen is trusted by professionals around the world – leveraging their insights and feedback to create gear with innovation, performance, and protection at the forefront. Having supported teams competing in The Ocean Race for more than 50 years, Helly Hansen continues to refine its designs, materials and technologies through real-word testing in some of the world’s most demanding offshore racing environments.
DMG MORI Sailing Team will join the other competitors on the starting line of The Ocean Race Atlantic in New York City in September 2026 before continuing on to compete in The Ocean Race around the world, which starts in Alicante, Spain in January 2027. The race will stop in in Auckland, New Zealand; Itajaí, Brazil; St. Pete-Clearwater, United States; and Cascais, Portugal before concluding in AMAALA, Red Sea in July 2027.
To find out more about the partnership, visit hellyhansen.com.
Source (of the content); DMG MORI Sailing Team
Photo Credit for Press Release Imagery: credit is included in the file name of the pictures, Maxime Falcone and/or Benjamin Sellier