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+
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
Link arrowLevel 2
Living at sea
Adapt to life at sea, learning watch routines and managing tasks on board.
Link arrowLevel 3
Spinnakers and Speed
Hone advanced race tactics and spinnaker handling to maximize speed.
Link arrowLevel 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 SafetyOutfitted 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
Link arrowThe Race
The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other.
Link arrowThe 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.
Link arrowThe 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.