A new chapter for Aotearoa Ocean Racing
Aotearoa Ocean Racing is already setting its sights on the next Ocean Race, and the team has taken a bold step by joining forces with KiwiFibre, a New Zealand company reshaping what sustainable composites can look like. The move is a clear signal of intent from AOR: the next race cycle will not only be about performance, but about pushing the future of clean marine technology.
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KiwiFibre’s work centres on harakeke. Māori have relied on harakeke for centuries for waka, rope, tools, and intricate weaving. Now the same plant is being re-engineered into a high-performance composite with an impressive strength-to-weight profile and none of the environmental cost associated with traditional carbon fibre.
For AOR, that blend of heritage and high-tech engineering hits the mark.
“Offshore racing is the ultimate test bed for new materials,” said co-founder and skipper Conrad Colman. “By integrating KiwiFibre into our IMOCA, we can see how natural fibres respond to real pressure while staying connected to our maritime roots.”
Testing harakeke at ocean-racing speeds
The partnership will see KiwiFibre’s regenerative composite introduced into selected non-structural parts of AOR’s IMOCA. These areas give the material a fair trial without risking the structural backbone of the boat. The conditions it will face are serious: heavy wind ranges, slamming loads, long-term exposure, and constant vibration.
If any environment can confirm the credibility of a new composite, it is offshore racing.
KiwiFibre CEO and co-founder Ben Scales sees the collaboration as an important step not only for the company, but for the wider composite industry.
“This partnership honours the materials used in traditional waka while proving that natural fibres can tackle today’s design challenges,” he said. “The marine sector faces environmental and health concerns around carbon fibre. Harakeke offers a credible way forward.”
Insights from the IMOCA’s offshore miles will go straight back into KiwiFibre’s ongoing research, helping refine the material for future marine, industrial, and commercial applications.
Building towards the 2027 Auckland stopover
With the 2027 Auckland stopover of The Ocean Race already on the horizon, both AOR and KiwiFibre see an opportunity to demonstrate what innovation in Aotearoa looks like when heritage meets engineering.
Plans are underway for hands-on exhibits and live demonstrations at the Race Village in the Wynyard Quarter. These will give visitors a close look at how harakeke is processed, how KiwiFibre builds its composites, and how the material is used aboard a cutting-edge IMOCA.
AOR co-founder Rowan Gyde said the partnership aligns perfectly with the team’s long-term ambitions.
“We’re committed to systems and materials that perform at the highest level while lowering our environmental footprint. KiwiFibre fits that path, and Auckland in 2027 will be the ideal place to share what we’ve learned.”
A partnership rooted in Aotearoa
What makes the Aotearoa Ocean Racing KiwiFibre partnership stand out is the sense of identity behind it. Harakeke is part of Aotearoa’s cultural story. Offshore racing pushes the limits of marine engineering. Bringing them together feels natural, and perhaps overdue.
This project demonstrates that sustainable design and world-class performance are no longer seen as competing goals. Instead, they’re becoming the new standard for Kiwi-led ocean racing.
AOR’s next Ocean Race campaign is already under way. Thanks to this partnership, it will carry a piece of home with it—one woven into the hull, grown from our own land, and built for the toughest miles on earth.
