Finnish Sea Scouts will compete at the Ocean Globe Race 2027-2028

A group of Finnish Sea Scouts and sailors is preparing to take on one of the world’s most demanding sailing challenges as they enter the Ocean Globe Race 2027–2028. The international race, inspired by the legendary 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, will see crews sail around the globe using only 1980s-era technology, relying on celestial navigation and traditional seamanship.

Panacea Sailing brings together a crew of 12 team members with diverse experience and expertise. Among them are four circumnavigators, a Cape Horner, two doctors, a paramedic, a sea captain, engineers, an economist, a journalist, a sailmaker and a high school student. Most of the team members have strong backgrounds in Sea Scouts, and together they have sailed more than 400,000 nautical miles, the equivalent of circling the globe 18 times.

The team’s captain, Tuomo Meretniemi, says the project is rooted in giving young people opportunities to dream big and experience life-changing adventures. “I have already fulfilled my own big dream of sailing around the world with my family. Now I feel that I want to enable great adventures and racing experiences for the future offshore sailors in Finland,” says Tuomo. 

The campaign is built around the idea of “Sail for Good”, a belief that adventure can be both meaningful and transformative. Through the project, the team aims to provide free sailing experiences for underprivileged and at-risk youth, helping young people build confidence, community, and a sense of possibility through time on the water.

Alongside preparations for the race itself, the team will work with Finnish Scout vessels, yacht clubs and local communities to organise sailing events and activities for children and young people. The initiative will also continue internationally, with the team planning youth-focused events in the race’s stopover ports. “Every child deserves access to experiences that inspire,” the team says. “Hobbies are a meaningful part of life.”

As preparations continue for the Ocean Globe Race, the crew hopes their journey will inspire Scouts and young people around the world to dream boldly and embrace adventure.

The Ocean Globe Race is considered one of the most demanding offshore sailing races in the world. Around 20 crews are expected to compete, including at least three teams sailing under the Finnish flag.

The race is scheduled to depart from Europe in September 2027 and return in spring 2028. Provisional stopover ports include: Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand and Punta del Este, Uruguay. Throughout the journey, crews will navigate the world’s oceans using traditional methods inspired by the golden age of offshore racing.