Racing Heritage
From the Whitbread to the Volvo — Farr designs have led the fleet around the world for four decades.
When Bruce Farr drew his first Whitbread Round the World entry in the late 1980s, ocean racing changed forever. What followed was the most dominant run in the history of offshore sailing — seven consecutive race wins, the one-design class that unified the fleet, and a legacy no other design office comes close to matching.
From Peter Blake’s Steinlager 2 in 1989 to the Volvo Ocean 65 fleet that carried every team from 2014 to 2018, Farr designs have shaped what it means to race around the world.
Second edition of the Farr-designed Volvo Ocean 65 one-design class. All seven teams raced identical Farr hulls — the ultimate validation of the design. Dongfeng Race Team took the overall title in a season decided by a single point.
VO65 one-design — 7 boats, all Farr
Debut of the Volvo Ocean 65 — the one-design class conceived and drawn by Farr Yacht Design. Every boat in the fleet was a Farr design for the first time in the race’s history. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing won the edition aboard Azzam.
VO65 one-design — 7 boats, all Farr
Franck Cammas led Groupama 4 to overall victory in the final edition of the open-design Volvo Open 70 era. Multiple Farr-designed entries in the fleet confirmed the office’s dominance of the class.
Volvo Open 70 — Farr Yacht Design
Torben Grael skippered the Farr-designed Ericsson 4 to a dominant overall victory. Sister ship Ericsson 3, also a Farr design, finished on the podium — a 1–3 result for the office.
Volvo Open 70 — Farr Yacht Design
Mike Sanderson’s ABN AMRO ONE demolished the fleet, winning six of nine legs. Sister ship ABN AMRO TWO — also Farr-designed — took second overall. The most dominant 1–2 in race history.
Volvo Open 70 — Farr Yacht Design
John Kostecki drove illbruck to victory in the first edition under the Volvo Ocean Race name. The Farr design proved fastest across all conditions over 32,700 nautical miles.
Volvo Ocean 60 — Farr Yacht Design
Paul Cayard skippered the Farr-designed EF Language to overall victory in the last Whitbread Round the World Race. Multiple Farr entries in the Whitbread 60 fleet underlined the office’s grip on the class.
Whitbread 60 — Farr Yacht Design
Grant Dalton’s NZ Endeavour won the Whitbread 60 class and second overall on handicap — a landmark result for New Zealand sailing and for Farr’s growing international reputation.
Whitbread 60 — Farr Yacht Design
Sir Peter Blake’s Steinlager 2 won every single leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race — a feat never matched before or since. The Farr-designed 84-footer rewrote what was possible in ocean racing.
Farr 84 — Bruce Farr & Associates
The legacy continues
From Whitbread to Volvo, the record speaks for itself. Ready to write the next chapter?