Auckland will live up to its title as the City of Sails when the Ocean Race returns to New Zealand shores next year. The city was yesterday confirmed as a Southern Ocean stopover for the 2027 edition — the first time since 2018 — marking the 50th anniversary of the event. Speaking at the launch against the backdrop of  Steinlager 2 , the Ocean Race chairman Richard Brisius reflected on the deep history between Auckland and the race. ‘‘Auckland and the Ocean Race share a bond that stretches back five decades, to the very first time the Whitbread fleet raced through the Southern Ocean before sailing into the Hauraki Gulf,’’ Brisius said. ‘‘The City of Sails has welcomed the race 10 times, and every time the fleet arrives here, you feel it: this is a place that genuinely understands what offshore sailing demands, and what it means.…