Cape Town… we’re coming back!
The Clipper 2025-26 Race route will once again feature the South African sailing hotspot of Cape Town as we return to the Host Port V&A Waterfront for the twelfth time.
Nestled just beneath Table Mountain, and bordered by sea on both sides, the V&A Waterfront is a firm favourite on the Clipper Race route. And for the Race Crew who will be arriving on the back of a gruelling South Atlantic crossing from South America, they will be delighted to lap up some summer sun and all the culture the vibrant city of Cape Town has to offer.
The fleet is expected to arrive into port in early November this year, marking the end of Leg 2: The South Atlantic challenge, and its furious 3,600nm downwind battle. So far, ten South Africans have signed up for the next round of the challenge.
Someone who has been there and experienced it firsthand is South African Nathali Immelman who sailed into her motherland as part of the 2023-24 edition, when she took on Leg 2 specifically to experience sailing into her home. Talking about what Race Crew can expect from the Cape Town stopover, she said: “There is nothing like a warm African welcome. The music, culture, food, wine, beauty, and welcoming nature of South Africans is truly unique. No one day is the same. Cape Town will be your home from home once you've experienced its glory.”
Nathali describes her experience on the race as giving her a sense of belonging. She said:
“The Clipper Race is very challenging in many ways, and even though it was part of the reason I joined, sailing home to my family waiting for me was a great motivational factor. It was going to be a new chapter in my life, and I knew I would arrive in Cape Town a different person to who had left Uruguay.
“When we first sailed into Cape Town, I remember the moon shining brightly on the backdrop of my home country. To come first was a dream come true, of course. But the appreciation you feel for life, your crew, and the support from your family is hard to put into words. I was home, and I felt a great sense of belonging."
It’s also a stopover that creates race history, as for the first time in the race’s 30-year legacy, the 2023-24 edition saw the race into Cape Town won by a Capetonian Skipper. Leading the way and sailing the boat home was Dare To Lead’s Ryan Gibson, who said: “This is definitely a highlight of my career, and it will be forever."
David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront, said: "The V&A Waterfront is no stranger to hosting global sailing events, and we are excited to be the Host Port for the Clipper 2025-26 Race once again, welcoming the crews back to the V&A for their 12th visit.
“Ocean racing is one of the toughest sports in the world, enigmatic in pursuit and a showcase of the spirit of adventure. Clipper celebrates a community legacy, highlighting the transformative nature of sailing over the years which we note this year brings to our shores a strong South African contingent, providing a platform for the growth of the sport with Cape Town firmly at its heart.”
Do you want to join the South Africans sailing home? There is still time complete all four weeks of training before Leg 2 and Leg 3, with a fast-track option to get ocean racers ready for departure.