Ocean Race returns to Newport for 2023

NEWPORT, R.I. (WLNE) — Newport is one of the nine stop-overs around the world for the Ocean Race of North America.

Sailors and viewers from all over the world will be traveling to Newport and getting a taste of what the Ocean State has to offer.

“The amount of people that are going to come to Fort Adams and see this stop-over, it’s staggering,” said Charlie Enright, a member of the Eleventh Hour Racing Team.

He said he is looking forward to spectators from all over the world, visiting Newport next month.

“To be able to show off, if you will, where I’m from and what Rhode Island has to offer, you know, its something we don’t take lightly,” he explained.

Enright will be sailing with Eleventh Hour from Brazil to Newport, which will take about 19 days, but this isn’t his first rodeo.

This race will be Enright’s third time participating in this specific leg of the Ocean Race.

“Looking forward to wining the leg into Newport, you know it would be a dream-come-true for me,” Enright continued.

A total of five competitive teams will be sailing into Fort Adams on or around May 10, the stop-over will last until the May 21.

The race last came to the city back in 2018 and had a return of $47 million. Representative Marvin Abney is looking forward to the economic impact the race will have this time around.

“The result was that restaurants were full, people were spending money in the city and some of it also comes back to the state so it was great, it was successful,” Abney said.

Over 100,000 people attended the race in Newport back in 2018.