Determined Clipper Race Crew in yellow foulies working together to complete a Clipper Race sailing evolution.

Race Training

Discover the intensive training programme that’ll prepare you to safely live and race on the ocean.

Get fully trained for adventure

Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or a total novice, taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a challenging prospect. Few things offer more exhilaration than facing the fierce swells and ever-changing weather of the open ocean, so your safety (and the safety of your fellow Race Crew) must be your priority.

That’s why nobody steps aboard without the proper training – regardless of your previous experience. Over four levels of instruction from our experienced Training Skippers, you’ll learn everything you need to know about ocean racing. From fundamental sailing practices to advanced sea survival training, our programme has been developed over nearly 30 years (and five million miles) of experience.

The result is a rigorous yet rewarding series of practical courses that’ll prepare you for anything the Clipper Race can throw your way.

From Novice to Ocean Racer

Even if you have never sailed before, our proven four level programme will enable you to take on some of the most extreme ocean environments on the planet with confidence.

Training Levels

4

Training Duration

26 Days

Race Crew Trained

6000+

Female Race Crew wearing red Musto BR1 wet weather gear grinding on winch during training

3 Million Miles of Experience

Honed over 3 million miles and 13 circumnavigations, our training program equips you with the skills and confidence to tackle the ocean’s toughest challenges safely.

World-class Ocean Racing Instructors

Our expert skippers lead with skill and dedication, building confidence and resilience in every crew member, no matter their experience, to tackle the ocean’s toughest challenges safely.

Race Training Levels

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Level 1

Welcome Aboard

Master the basics and core safety skills for confident sailing.

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Level 2

Living at sea

Adapt to life at sea, learning watch routines and managing tasks on board.

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Level 3

Spinnakers and Speed

Hone advanced race tactics and spinnaker handling to maximize speed.

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Level 4

Remember, it's a race

Engage in a full race simulation, working as a crew to apply all training.

Crew stories

The best thing I could have ever done

Maddie Church, Student

Inspirational 26-year-old Maddie, a journalism student from the USA, completed three legs: The Mighty Pacific, The USA Coast-to-Coast Leg and The Atlantic Homecoming on board the GoToBermuda team yacht.

Crew stories

Race to win

Jody Shaw, Engineer

60-year-old experienced sailor Jody, from the USA, raced around the world on board winning yacht Qingdao in the Clipper 2019-20 Race. He shares his insight about what it takes to race to win, and the conditions his team faced.

Crew stories

Retail to Racer

Kiki Sheridan, Retail Manager

Kiki, 47, from Finland, shelved retail management to become a circumnavigator on the Clipper 2019-20 Race. An all-or-nothing choice for this intrepid sailor, Kiki talks of her pivotal role as a round-the-worlder and overcoming her fears racing on board Seattle.

Unrivalled equipment ready for the toughest conditions

Your Safety

Outfitted in pro-tested technical clothing and state-of-the-art safety gear, including AIS-enabled lifejackets, you’ll have top-tier protection against anything the ocean throws at you.

FAQs

From training duration to fitness requirements, find the answers you need below.

It’s best to take training as individual weeks if you can, although for our overseas crew that have to travel a distance, breaking them into two blocks of two weeks is a good solution. Either way, plan to do your first week (or two) as early as you can so you have a real appreciation of the challenges and the physical strength and flexibility required. You will need to pass an assessment at the end of each level of training in order to progress to the next level – do bear this in mind if booking courses back to back. This is to ensure each crew member is achieving the required level of competence, safety awareness and physical mobility, to perform the range of tasks covered. We are committed to help you get there, but you have to be prepared to work hard to achieve this too.

The next steps

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The Race

The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other.

Race Crew inside the tight quarters of a sailboat. One crew member climbs down a ladder from an open hatch above, while two others organize equipment in the bunk area. Blue storage bags and gear are secured on either side of the narrow space, highlighting the cramped and functional setup needed for an ocean race.Link arrow

The Life

A Clipper 70 is no place for the faint-hearted. Every team member has a role on deck and is trained to form a self-sufficient unit, ready to handle any situation, no matter how severe.

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The Application

It all starts right here…Train to become an Ocean Racer and experience the exhilaration of circumnavigating the globe on a 70-foot racing yacht.

Join the Race

40,000nm. 5 Oceans. 1 Circumnavigation. See you on the start line.

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