Founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet.
This epic biennial sailing event sees more than 700 crew race over 40,000 nautical miles around the world on 70-foot ocean racing yachts, travelling across six continents over a span of 11 months.
The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind which trains people from all walks of life to become ocean racers, and many have no previous sailing experience before signing up for the intensive four levels of training prior to racing. Led by a professional skipper and first mate, race crew can complete the full 11-month circumnavigation or choose to test themselves on one or multiple legs.
The next edition will be the Clipper Race 2023-2024, which will begin in late summer 2023. The route is divided into eight legs and will feature between 13 and 16 individual races, including six ocean crossings.
2023-2024 Clipper Race legs
- Leg 1: UK to South America – the Atlantic Trade Winds Leg (August to October 2023)
- Leg 2: South America to South Africa – the South Atlantic Challenge Leg (October to November 2023)
- Leg 3: South Africa to West Coast Australia – the Roaring Forties Leg (November to December 2023)
- Leg 4: West Coast Australia to East Coast Australia – the Australian Coast-to-Coast (December 2023 to January 2024)
- Leg 5: Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – the Asia-Pacific Challenge
- Leg 6: Zhuhai, China – the Mighty Pacific Leg (March 2024)
- Leg 7: West Coast USA to East Coast USA – the USA Coast-to-Coast Leg (April to June 2024)
- Leg 8: East Coast USA to UK – the Atlantic Homecoming Leg (June to July 2024)
China’s ‘Sailing City’ extends partnership
Following Qingdao’s victory in the 2019-2020 edition, China’s “Sailing City” is set to return as a host port and team partner for the next two editions of the Clipper Race. The Qingdao Municipal Sports Bureau has signed a two-race deal with the global sailing event.
Qingdao will be a stopover port on Leg 6, the Mighty North Pacific leg, with the fleet scheduled to arrive in the city in March 2024. The Sailing City is a highly anticipated stopover, with the fleet previously visiting Qingdao during seven editions of the Clipper Race.
ATPI returns as official travel supplier
ATPI Sports Events will once again be the official travel supplier of the upcoming edition of the Clipper Race. This will be the corporate travel company’s second edition of partnership with the global yacht racing event. ATPI will provide assistance in helping crew travel from all corners of the globe to stopovers on the race route. The company will also be supporting the Clipper Race Office with travel and accommodation arrangements as they follow the fleet around the world, travelling to the different host port stopovers.
Main image credit: Maéva Bardy/Clipper Round the World Yacht Race