The 2025 Clipper Round the World Race is one of sailing’s greatest tests. Covering 40,000 nautical miles across eight legs and six oceans, it is a global adventure where ordinary people become ocean racers.
Founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo nonstop around the world, the Clipper Race has always carried the spirit of pure adventure. More than 6,000 sailors from over 60 nations have now taken part, proving that experience is not a barrier. Anyone can apply, undergo rigorous training, and line up alongside professionals to take on the challenge.
A modern clipper
The name reaches back to the 19th century, when tea clippers raced across the oceans with speed and style. Today, it refers to a fleet of identical 70-foot yachts designed by Tony Castro. These Clipper 70s are built purely for performance and endurance: twin helms, twin rudders, and a wardrobe of eleven sails. Below deck is stripped back to bunks and a galley, comfort sacrificed in favour of safety and speed.
Crews and roles
Each campaign involves more than 700 crew members, rotating through a round-the-clock watch system. Roles cover every aspect of seamanship: helming through storms, grinding winches, repairing sails, climbing masts, fixing engines, and cooking meals. Specialist positions such as bosun, engineer, medic, and sail repairer ensure the yachts keep racing, no matter what the ocean throws at them.
It is a complete immersion in teamwork. A stranger can become a sailor in weeks, and a sailor can become a leader in months.
Oceans that test
The route spans every major ocean: the speed of the Atlantic Trade Winds, the ferocity of the Roaring Forties, the vast emptiness of the North Pacific, and the heat of the Asia-Pacific leg. Whether tackling a single stage or the full circumnavigation, participants face conditions that will stay with them forever — flat calms at 45 degrees of heel, icy spray in the Southern Ocean, or surfing down waves at 25 knots.
Racing with purpose
This is no cruise. Ten yachts compete for the Clipper Trophy, scored by finishing position and tactical opportunities such as Ocean Sprints, Scoring Gates, Joker cards, and Stealth Mode. At the same time, the fleet supports ocean science through partnerships with the International SeaKeepers Society and Seabed 2030, collecting vital environmental data.
The 2025 Clipper Round the World Race is more than a competition. It is a circumnavigation with a conscience — and a reminder of what people and boats can achieve when pushed to their limits.