The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a biennial ocean-racing endurance challenge that was founded in 1995 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo nonstop around the world.

The event is the only event of its kind to train everyday people to become ocean racers. With no prior experience needed before signing up, all participants must pass four stages of rigorous training to go on to race 40,000 nautical miles across five oceans on an identical fleet of ocean-racing yachts.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a biennial challenge.

Since the first race in 1996, almost 7,000 people from around the world have taken part. Editions have been held in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2023–24 and the current 2025–26 edition.

The next race is the 2027–28 edition, which is already open for applications.

Clipper 70s are racing on the 2025–26 edition, while the Clipper RX is the new generation being introduced for the Clipper 2027-28 Race. There are currently 10 yachts competing in the current edition and with matched fleet keeping results that come down to crew skill and teamwork. Each yacht carries around 20 crew members and is sponsored by a country, city, or corporate partner.

The Clipper 2023-24 Round the World Yacht Race was won by Team Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, who secured the Clipper Race Champion’s trophy. The team showed exceptional tactical sailing and perseverance on its way to the overall winners.

Previous notable champions include Wendy Tuck on the Clipper 2017–18 Race, who became the first female skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race.

The current 2025–26 edition is underway; you can track the fleet live via the Race Tracker.

The 14th edition, the Clipper 2025–26 Race, set sail on Sunday 31 August 2025 from Portsmouth, United Kingdom. The last stopover leg will be Oban in Scotland before finishing back in Portsmouth on 25 July 2026.

The next Clipper Round the World Yacht Race after the current 2025–26 edition is the Clipper 2027–28 Race. Applications are already open and the event will depart in late summer 2027. 

Check out our usual race route to explore our ocean crossings and pricing.

The fleet's live position can be tracked in real time via the Clipper Race Tracker. The 2025–26 edition route takes the fleet from Portsmouth through eight legs and includes stops in Puerto Sherry (Spain), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle and Airlie Beach (Australia), Subic Bay (Philippines), Qingdao (China), Tongyeong (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama, Washington DC (USA) and Oban (UK) before returning to Portsmouth.

The cost varies depending on how many legs you sail. The fee is made up of two parts: a mandatory training package and a berth fee for each leg you race.

Prices vary by edition and leg length. Always check the current pricing on the official Race Builder tool or request the official Information Pack, as figures are subject to change.

Additional costs to budget for include travel to/from ports, visas and personal insurance. The berth fee includes food and accommodation on board, racing on the Clipper Race yacht and support from the Clipper team throughout the challenge.

Interest-free monthly payment plans are available; contact the Clipper Recruitment Team for details at +44 (0) 2392 526000 or email oceanracer@clipper-ventures.com.

Yes, one of the most popular features of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is that you can choose to race one leg, multiple legs, or the full circumnavigation, depending on your time and budget. 

There are 8 legs in each edition, ranging from shorter legs like across the South Atlantic from South America to South Africa, to epic long ocean crossings like the Mighty Pacific (Leg 6). Use the Race Builder tool to see pricing and availability for individual legs.

Yes. Clipper Round the World Yacht Race offers an interest-free monthly payment plan. You can spread your training and berth fees in equal monthly payments, starting the month after your contract and deposit are received. The earlier you apply, the longer you have to spread the cost. The Recruitment Team will discuss your specific options during the interview stage. Contact them at oceanracer@clipper-ventures.com or call +44 (0) 2392 526000.

Our berth fee covers all food and accommodation on board the yacht during your leg/s, racing on the Clipper racing yacht and leadership from a Professional Skipper and First Mate support. Foul-weather sailing kit will be provided as part of your training package. 

We don’t include travel to and from training or host ports, accommodation ashore during stopovers (outside of your yacht), personal insurance and any applicable visas. Budget for these additional costs when planning your race.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race covers approximately 40,000 nautical miles, making six ocean crossings (across five oceans) and eight legs.

Each full edition takes around eleven months, of which about 220 days are spent racing at sea, at all hours and in all conditions. Crew members who sail individual legs will be at sea for anywhere from a couple of weeks on shorter legs to over a month.

The 2025–26 Race (14th edition) has 8 legs and the course includes stops in Puerto Sherry (Spain), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle and Airlie Beach (Australia), Subic Bay (Philippines), Qingdao (China), Tongyeong City (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama, Washington DC (USA) and Oban (UK) before returning to Portsmouth. 

The route changes each edition; over 50 cities worldwide have hosted the fleet since 1996.

No prior sailing experience is required. Almost 30% of all Clipper Round the World Yacht Race crew members have had no previous sailing experience before joining. All crew must complete a mandatory four-level training programme before racing. The training takes around four weeks in total, which includes separate week-long courses on the Solent and English Channel.

All crew must complete four levels of compulsory Ocean Racer training, regardless of experience. Each level is just under a week long and builds progressively.

You can start your application at https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/the-application/apply-now. 

The process typically involves an online application, an interview with the recruitment team and signing up for a payment plan. You can also request a free information pack, which covers the race route, training programme, fees and real crew experiences. Call the team on +44 (0) 2392 526000 to discuss your options.

It's a race that quite literally crosses boundaries, so naturally, applications are open to all over 18 regardless of gender, nationality or nautical experience.

Today, more than 7000 people and three generations of Clipper Race fleets have competed in what is known to be the world's toughest ocean racing challenge.

Clipper Ventures places safety at the core of everything it does.

Ocean racing is an extreme sport and therefore every crew member must complete and pass four stages of intensive safety-focused training before racing. Each team is led by a professional skipper and first mate and each yacht carries industry-leading safety equipment, including personal AIS beacons in every life jacket.

The race has conducted over 80 yacht circumnavigations and accumulated millions of nautical miles of racing safely. Safety protocols are continuously reviewed and updated

The first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world was Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the founder of the Clipper Round the World Race himself, who completed the voyage in 1968–69.

The minimum distance for an officially recognised circumnavigation is 21,600 nautical miles. In practice, most sailing routes are longer; the Clipper Round the World Race covers around 40,000 nautical miles because of the route taken across multiple oceans.

Yes, and the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is one of the most accessible ways to do it. You don't need to own a yacht, have sailing experience, or even know how to sail before you apply. Thousands of ordinary people have already circumnavigated the globe through the race.

For an independent circumnavigation, most experienced sailors recommend a yacht of at least 35–45 feet.

The current Clipper 2025–26 Race has a fleet of ten Clipper 70s (70-foot vessels), which are purpose-built for the extreme conditions encountered on a circumnavigation. The Clipper RX is the new generation ocean racing yacht being introduced for the 2027-28 edition.

For independent circumnavigation, there is no single international sailing licence required, but in practice, you'll need to hold recognised qualifications, as many countries require proof of competence on arrival. You'll also need to understand maritime law, passage planning, weather routing and emergency procedures.

For the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, you need no licence or prior qualifications at all, just the willingness and tenacity to complete the mandatory four-level training programme that is provided. The training is tailored specifically for the race and takes complete novices to a race-ready standard.