Rolex Middle Sea Race · Valletta, Malta · 17 October 2026
Our story.Your brand.One shared journey.
Middle Sea Race promo
Through the Cormorant Racing Academy, Cormorant Ocean Racing offers partners the opportunity to become part of something bigger than a single race: taking young sailors from local waters to the international stage.
—days
—hours
—mins
until the start of the Rolex Middle Sea Race in Valletta, Malta.
Our partners
Backing the campaign
Thank you to the businesses taking their place in our story. There is room alongside them for yours.
Silver Partner
Silver partner
Silver Partner
Silver Parnter
Silver Partner
Your brand here
Gold Partner
Places available
Your brand here
Silver Partner
Places available
Your brand here
Bronze Partner
Places available
Race entry fee
Getting us to the start line
Mortgages for Yacht Crew have paid our entry fee for the 2026 Rolex Middle Sea Race, putting Cormorant and her young crew on the start line in Valletta. It is the kind of backing that turns a plan into a campaign, and we are hugely grateful.
Race entry partner
Visit Mortgages for Yacht Crew
Campaign fund
£11,451
raised so far towards our £25,000 target.
Every partnership and every shop order moves Cormorant and her young crew closer to the start line in Valletta.
Start line
Finish line £25,000
- Partnerships
- £10,730
- 7 partners backing the campaign
- Shop sales
- £721.30
- 44 items sold so far
01
Introduction
Cormorant Ocean Racing is turning a love of the ocean, and the journey of young sailors into the world of top-tier offshore racing, into a campaign businesses can stand behind and international audiences can follow.
02
More than logo space
A partnership built around visibility, content, community and more.
A path trodden by hundreds but so far heard by very few.
- Content
- A dedicated media crew member on board to deliver partners authentic campaign content in training, in racing and at every step in between.
- Visibility
- Brand presence across the yacht, crew kit, web, socials and race content.
- Purpose
- Opening the door to offshore sailing, giving the next generation the training, experience and opportunity to compete on the international stage.
03
Cormorant Next Gen
20%
of our race crew will be sailors under 21 experiencing offshore racing for the first time
Sharing our passion for sailing with the next generation. Working with sailing schools and training centres, a fifth of our race crew will be young sailors experiencing offshore racing for the first time.
- 20% of race crew will be sailors under 21 experiencing offshore racing for the first time
- Applications from local sailing clubs, the UK's premier sailing academies and everywhere in between
- 20% of funds raised donated to the Tall Ships Youth Trust, uncovering the next generation of racers
- Training
- Preparation delivered by Head Coach and former Olympian Hugh Styler.
- Mentorship
- Youth sailors guided by experienced crew in a live offshore campaign.
- For partners
- A compelling CSR and brand-purpose story, connecting youth opportunity and a passion for sailing.
04
The Proposition
606 nautical miles of offshore racing, a full programme of training in the build-up and a dedicated media crew member capturing every day, night and nautical mile, creating high-quality content for partners to share, amplify and build your brand around.
Rolex Middle Sea Race
The Rolex Middle Sea Race will be the first race for our young sailors, with many more to come. Their chance to put their skills to the test under the real-life pressures of offshore racing.
Starting and finishing in Valletta, the 606-nautical-mile course runs anticlockwise around Sicily: through the Strait of Messina, past the volcano of Stromboli, around the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria and Lampedusa, and home to Malta.
We present the opportunity to place your brand front and centre as we take to the open ocean for our first race, and in the many more to follow. We take your brand, and our young sailors, on the journey of a lifetime.
2025 race in numbers
- 118
- Yachts
- 1,000+
- Sailors
- 31
- Countries
- 1,000,000+
- Facebook views
- 1,000,000
- Users reached
- 351,000
- Minutes of YouTube viewing
05
For our partners
We'll have a dedicated media crew member documenting the campaign: the preparation, the people, the challenges and the race itself. Quality photography and video before, during and after the race, for partners to use in their own marketing and social channels.
You're not just sponsoring a team. You'll be taking your place in our story, and we'll give you the content to tell it.
You're not just sponsoring a team. You'll be taking your place in our story, and we'll give you the content to tell it.
-
Before the race
Build the momentum
A stronger start, together
- Campaign launch
- Partner announcement
- Training and youth stories
- Crew profiles
- Race preparation
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During the race
Bring it to life
Real moments. A global audience.
- Race updates
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Partner visibility
- In-race content delivery
- Captain's vlog
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After the race
Extend the impact
Lasting stories. Brighter tomorrows.
- Race report
- Partner recognition, crew led
- Youth programme feedback
- Post-race crew interviews
- Brand alignment with Rolex and others
06
Product placement journey
An epic story in which to leverage your product. From training camp to the finish line and beyond.
-
1
Align
Partner fit
We work with brands that share our values and complement the demands of offshore racing and athlete performance.
-
2
Training camp
Athlete integration
Products are introduced during training camp and preparation, giving our athletes time to use them naturally and build genuine familiarity.
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3
Preparation
Part of the regime
Products become part of the athletes' nutritional and performance regime, supporting preparation, recovery and life offshore.
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4
The race
Authentic content
Your brand features in real use across training camp, race preparation, the race and life on board, creating credible and engaging content.
-
5
Post race
Extended exposure
The story continues post-race with highlights, athlete stories and lessons learned, keeping your brand visible long after the finish line.
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6
Beyond
Lasting impact
Partners gain a bank of high-quality content, ongoing brand visibility and a meaningful association with performance, adventure and the next generation of sailors.
Real products. Real athletes. A greater journey.
Training camp → the race → post race → long-term impact
07
Put your brand on the journey
From Bronze Partner to Title Partner, every package is built around visibility, content and purpose. Choose a tier or set your own amount, then complete your sponsorship securely with Stripe.
Bronze Partner
Put your name on the campaign
£750
- Company logo featured on Cormorant's boom
- Mentions across our social channels throughout the campaign
- Inclusion in our race preview and race review articles
- Access to campaign photography and video for your own channels
Silver Partner
On the boat and on the crew
£1,250
Everything in Bronze, plus:
- Logo displayed on crew clothing and hull
- Featured partner profile on this website
- Dedicated social media feature
- Thank-you post following the race
Gold Partner
Front and centre for the whole campaign
£2,500
Everything in Silver, plus:
- Prominent branding on the yacht throughout the campaign
- Dedicated email feature to the Marine Accounts database
- Priority placement across race content, including the Captain's Vlog
- Product placement opportunities on board
Title Partner
Your brand on the journey of a lifetime
£5,000
Everything in Gold, plus:
- Brand referenced across media engagements before, during and after the race
- Large-scale lettering on Cormorant's hull
- Branded caps worn by the crew where practical
- Opportunity to provide promotional material, products or equipment for use during the campaign
Only one available
Product placement and tailored packages start at £500 and are shaped around your exact preference. Set your own amount.
08
Become a partner
Choose your package and tell us a little about your business. You'll be taken to our secure payment page to complete your sponsorship, and we'll be in touch to collect your logo and artwork.
- Secure card payment handled by Stripe. We never see your card details.
- Confirmation and receipt by email as soon as your payment clears.
- We'll be in touch to collect your logo and artwork and plan your coverage.
The boat
Cormorant
Cormorant is a classic 1988 Grand Soleil 52, designed by the renowned naval architect German Frers and built in Italy by the prestigious Cantiere del Pardo.
Over 50 feet long and built for serious sailing, Cormorant is equally at home racing hard, crossing oceans or exploring new coastlines.
She is a powerful, fast and capable racer-cruiser, combining the performance of a racing yacht with the strength and comfort needed for long offshore passages. Her elegant lines and timeless design are typical of Frers' work, giving Cormorant a distinctive character that still turns heads today.
- Model
- Grand Soleil 52
- Designer
- German Frers
- Builder
- Cantiere del Pardo, Italy
- Launched
- 1988
- Type
- Racer-cruiser
The journey so far
News & updates
Follow the campaign from training camp to the finish line.
Campaign
Cormorant Ocean Racing launches its Rolex Middle Sea Race partnership programme
Our partnership programme is open. From Bronze to Title Partner, businesses can now put their brand on a campaign that takes young sailors from local waters to one of the most prestigious offshore races on the calendar.
Read the update
Next Gen
Cormorant Next Gen: one in five race crew places goes to a first-time offshore sailor
Working with sailing schools and training centres, 20% of our race crew will be young sailors under 21 racing offshore for the first time, prepared by Head Coach and former Olympian Hugh Styler.
Read the update
Race update
The course: 606 nautical miles around Sicily
Starting and finishing in Valletta, the Rolex Middle Sea Race sends the fleet anticlockwise around Sicily by way of the Strait of Messina, Stromboli, the Egadi Islands, Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
Read the updateSupport the campaign
Campaign shop
Every pair sold helps get our young sailors to the start line.
Cormorant Ocean Racing Socks
£12.50
Custom-made crew socks, packed sardine-style in a collectable tin. Every pair sold helps get our young sailors to the start line in Malta.
Cormorant Ocean Racing Cap
£14.95
The Rolex Middle Sea Race 2026 campaign cap, in navy or cream. Every one sold helps get our young sailors to the start line in Malta.
Cormorant Ocean Racing T-shirt
£19.95
The official Rolex Middle Sea Race 2026 campaign T-shirt, in grey, white or navy. Every one sold helps get our young sailors to the start line in Malta.
Already got your socks? Send us a photo of you wearing them.
From sailing school to the world stage
Every eventful step along the way captured. Our journey becomes your story, the open ocean the platform.
Race • Community • Opportunity