Inspiring future ocean racers at the Telegraph Outdoor Adventure and Camping Show

Clipper Race alumni are at the Telegraph Outdoor Adventure Camping Show this week to share their unique Clipper Race experiences and inspire the next generation of ocean racers.

As one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet, the Clipper Race is a must for people with a spirit of adventure and a love of taking on Mother Nature in all her glory. What better way to find out what it’s really like to race a stripped out 70-foot ocean racing yacht for eleven months around the world than from our intrepid crew?

Clipper Race alumni, Priscilla Marsden, took part in five legs of the 2013-14 race and returned again to tackle Leg 6 during the 2015-16 edition. Well placed to give prospective crew a real insight to life on board, Priscilla is at the show passing on her race experiences to would-be adventurers.

“When talking about life on board I like to emphasise just how cold and wet it can be in stormy conditions, how tired you can be feeling – especially on night watch. But then I will explain that all it takes is for somebody to hand you a cup of tea and suddenly all is good with the world. I also love to describe the sense of achievement I felt when I realised I had just crossed my first ocean under sail. I felt very incredulous that I had actually achieved this huge initial challenge but also so proud of myself for doing something so tough and unique” said Priscilla.

Priscilla also fondly recalls some unexpected achievements during her Clipper Race experiences: “I was helping some young South African crew members on board deal with being totally out of their comfort zone and in such an alien environment. I ended up being a bit of a mother figure to them!

“I gained the confidence to know that I could do anything at all that I wanted to and to accept challenges in other areas of my life.”

The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure and Camping Show, which opened yesterday, will run until Sunday 19 of February offering outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to find out about the latest activities, products, gear and equipment, as well as meet a range of special guests, including members of the Clipper Race team and its adventurous crew.

To help you get into the spirit of taking on the challenge of a 40,000nautical mile race across the world’s oceans, we are running a Henri Lloyd wet weather gear challenge for the duration of the show.

Come to the big red Clipper Race roadshow dome at stand OU818 to meet the team and test your skills to see how quickly you can dress in full ocean racing gear. Everyone who enters will receive a free gift and the person who completes the challenge in the fastest time each day will also win a Clipper Race goodie bag.* So far, the fastest time recorded is a very impressive 46 seconds!

More than 4,000 people from all walks of life, many with no sailing experience, have been turned into ocean racers through the Clipper Race, with the current crew for the 2017-18 edition currently hard at work, training for race start this summer.

There are still opportunities to join the Clipper 2017-18 Race crew, both for the whole circumnavigation and individual legs, though places are going fast. If you would like to sign up for the race of your life, click here to apply.

*For competition T&Cs click here.