Shenzhen had been announced in 2019 as a stopover for the 2022-2023 edition before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The race was initially set to begin in October 2022 only for it to be postponed to January 2023 with the Chinese city no longer on the route.

However, The Ocean Race has turned to broadcast, media and communications company H&A Media to ensure the event does not lose out on Chinese interest.

"We had a Chinese stopover in Shenzhen and then COVID hit and they had to cancel," Guy Horne, managing director of H&A Media, told insidethegames.

"The race had to be re-routed so China was out of the picture, but the race had already promised sponsors that they will maintain that massive media presence in the market.

"We got a phone call early on in 2022 saying we understand that your company is able to project sports and gain tractions in the Chinese market, would you be interested in working on The Ocean Race?"

Horne said that The Ocean Race set out with a mission to have a Chinese-speaking studio show to discuss what is happening in the competition while ensuring that they promote ocean health and education and sustainable use.

"This is not only a sailing competition," said Horne.

"This is a race to protect and save the ocean and the ability to communicate why the oceans are important is fundamental to our existence.

"China might not physically be in the race but they are a big part of ocean health.

"The Chinese Government recognises that they need to keep their coastline clean and it is a stated policy.

"It’s the first country to ban single use plastic bags in 2018.

"If China wants to do something, they can so how do you influence them?

"We need to bring China in on the discussion and move public opinion, so they are vital."

The Ocean Race has already made its mark in China having stopped there on four previous occasions, with Qingdao and Guangzhou playing host once and Sanya twice.

Dongeng Race Team also made history by becoming the first Chinese team to win The Ocean Race when they triumphed in 2018.

The Ocean Race is understood to be looking to return to China in the 2026-2027 edition, with a strong Chinese delegation expected to be in Genoa in Italy for the final leg of this year’s event.

Under The Ocean Race’s "China Plan", officials decided to launch accounts on Chinese social networks Weibo and Douyin in October 2022 and create a studio show to be aired in the Asian country.

Chinese sailing star Xu Lijia, a laser radial gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympics, was also recruited as a roving reporter and presenter on the show.

Horne revealed that The Ocean Race was averaging around five million views per leg in China and he expected that to increase.

"We have basically had eight months to prepare a studio, live programme, presenters and make translated content," added Horne.

"We contacted all the different elements of sailing in China and connected them in the programming.

"Everything we could do to connect the race with the Chinese market is within our remit.

"It’s a smart vision, it’s The Ocean Race’s vision and we are just the delivery partner."