The Circumnavigators Club

Circumnavigator [noun]: a person who sails or flies completely around something, especially the globe 

This month, the Clipper Race is celebrating 30 years of extreme adventure. In March 1995, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston decided to take his record-breaking circumnavigation to the people. He launched an event that has given 7,000 people (and counting) the opportunity to take on an extraordinary challenge - to cross an ocean, under sail. Joined on this venture by co-founder, William Ward OBE, the pair set up a company that was deemed by some to fail but is still going strong and will this summer see its 14th turn around the globe.

With an ethos to ‘achieve something remarkable’ - the Clipper Race needs a team behind the scenes who can safely deliver an event which sees 700 crew trained, 40,000nm raced, and a global route with 14 stops along the way.

The old adage of ‘practice what you preach’ is at the heart of the Clipper Race team of experienced staff who work behind the scenes to deliver the biennial event. This workforce includes a stellar line up of seven circumnavigators in its ranks. That’s 17% of the total team that delivers each edition having sailed around the world, at least once.

Not many global sailing competitions could say that, and the experience held explains the success of running a complex event which trains everyday people for perhaps the biggest endurance challenge of their life.

Meet the Seven Circumnavigators 

Pictured L-R; Jake Carter, Hannah Brewis, Dale Smyth, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Max Rivers, Jacqueline Kavanagh, Mike Brien

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston 

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is the GOAT* of this hard-earned exclusive club, with his record-breaking feat in 1968-69 seeing him become the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the world. He went on to complete three further circumnavigations: The Whitbread Round the World Race in 1977, Jules Verne Trophy in 2006-07 and another solo in the Velux 5 Oceans in 2006-07. At (soon to turn) 86, Sir Robin is still involved in the running of the Clipper Race and regularly meets crew who are ready to embark on their training. Knox-Johnston’s Suhaili, the 32-foot Bermudan ketch that enabled his victorious voyage, is the honorary eighth circumnavigator at the Clipper Race. She’s still a regular Race Committee vessel, and the Finish Line canon was fired from her deck at last year’s Clipper Race Finish in Portsmouth.

Dale Smyth, Clipper Race Director  

Dale Smyth, the new Race Director for the 2025-26 edition has been part of the race team for eight years. A sailor with vast ocean racing and instructor experience, Dale was a Skipper on the Clipper 2017-18 Race, circumnavigating on board the Dare To Lead team yacht. He then returned to the event as Deputy Race Director for the 2019-20 and 2023-24 editions, overseeing the professional sailing squad of Skippers and First Mates which lead each of the eleven teams. In November 2024, Dale was appointed Clipper Race Director. In this broad role, responsibilities include the management of fleet operations and safety, along with planning the 40,000nm route of the Clipper Race.

Mike Brien, Clipper Race Fleet Electrician  

Mike Brien is part of the experienced Clipper Race Maintenance Team. As an electrical engineer, Mike is integral to the refit work which is carried out on the Clipper 70s ahead of each edition. Once the circumnavigation is underway, Mike then provides stopover support for the fleet to help with any work required following Mother Nature’s harsh conditions on each ocean crossing. Mike was a circumnavigator on the Clipper 2017-18 Race on board Garmin and has also stepped in as relief First Mate in subsequent editions, adding more ocean crossings to his racing experience.  

Jake Carter, Clipper Race Chief Instructor 

Jake Carter is Chief Instructor for the Clipper Race Training Centre. As Race Crew on the Clipper 2013-14 Race, Jake circumnavigated on board the GREAT Britain team. Previously a regular instructor at sister company Hamble School of Yachting, Jake joined the Clipper Race team full time in 2022.  In his role of Chief Instructor, Jake oversees the rigorous four-stage training course that all crew must undertake and pass before crossing an ocean and is responsible for maintaining the high standards of this industry leading programme.  

Max Rivers, Clipper Race Deputy Race Director 

Deputy Race Director, Max Rivers, has one and a half circumnavigations on his racing resume. Max joined the Clipper Race as First Mate for the second half of the Clipper 2019-20 Race, leading on board GoToBermuda. Returning as Our Isles and Oceans Skipper on the subsequent 2023-24 edition, Max completed his first full circumnavigation. Max is now the newly appointed Deputy Race Director at HQ where he has worked closely with the Race Director to recruit the next eleven Clipper Race Skippers (launching later this month!). He will also be the first point of contact for the fleet when it races around the world – helping to solve any challenges before each team arrives at the 14 global ports.

Hannah Brewis, Clipper Race Manager  

With the same Clipper Race pathway as fellow Race Management teammate Max, Race Manager, Hannah Brewis has also raced one and half times around the world. As First Mate aboard the Seattle team entry, Hannah led the team for just shy of 20,000nm from the midway point of the Clipper 2019-20 Race. Hannah went up the professional sailing ranks for the 2023-24 edition, skippering the Washington, DC team. As Clipper Race Manager, Hannah will support the management of Skippers and First Mates on the upcoming edition. Along with ensuring the boats have the correct medical equipment and medical support required for offshore racing, she will also manage the complex entry requirements for the fleet and its 700 Race Crew.

Jacqueline Kavanagh, Clipper Race Crew Recruitment Manager  

As Clipper Race Crew Recruitment Manager, Jacqueline Kavanagh, encourages others to pursue their dreams and take on the adventure of a lifetime. She’s the perfect person to do this as she has been there, done it, and worn the foulies herself! Jacqueline circumnavigated the globe on board Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam as Race Crew on the 2019-20 edition, clocking up 40,000nm and adding big ocean crossings to her list of achievements. Now as part of the Recruitment Team, Jacqueline hosts regular Discovery Talks to help inspire others to sign up to circumnavigate – and with limited sailing experience before signing up – Jacqueline’s experience shows just what is possible if you put your mind to it.

Play

Want to join the Circumnavigators Club? 

Approximately 100 Race Crew sign up to circumnavigate on each Clipper Race. Training is well underway for the 2025-26 edition, with Race Start announced as departing from Portsmouth, UK on 31 August. Many of these crew decided that round-the-world was the only choice for them, following in the footsteps of Clipper Race Alumni who have circumnavigated on this global event since the first edition in 1996. There is still time to take part in all eight legs of the Clipper 2025-26 Race, with a fast-track option to get circumnavigators race ready for the departure in late summer.