Sail Around the Globe? Yes, You Can.

If one thing unites all endurance athletes, it’s a sense of adventure. Whether they’re biking through the mountains, running on city streets, swimming in icy waters, or doing all three on the same day, some athletes just love discovering their potential. If that’s you, put the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race on your endurance bucket list. It’s a full-scale circumnavigation of the globe that’s open to anyone, no sailing experience required.

You can sign up for the whole thing—40,000 nautical miles!—or one or more of the eight legs. Everyone who’s accepted undertakes four stages of intense training to prepare you for life as a full-time ocean racer, and each yacht has professional sailors on board at all times. Because sailing skills can be taught, but the sense of grit and determination it takes to finish? That has to be earned. Along the way, you’ll feel the speed of the Atlantic Trade winds from the U.K. to South America or the turbulent “Roaring Forties” from South Africa to the west coast of Australia, and much, much more.

This year’s race is well under way, and applications for the 2027-28 edition are now being taken. This spring and summer, you can get a firsthand introduction to the race at events on the West and East Coasts. At these free-to-attend events, you can board one of the Clipper Race yachts and meet the Race Crew. The events are in Seattle April 22-24 and Washington, DC June 18-20. You can also keep up with your favorite yachts online and track them in real time as they race around the world.

There’s nothing like hearing from someone who’s done it. And Samantha Harper has done it all. The general practitioner from Canada was a part of the Clipper 2017–2018 Race, completing the whole journey in more than eleven months of racing. It was hardly her first foray into global endurance racing—she’ll complete her final race in the 4 Deserts Ultramarathon Series in Mongolia in 2027 and is a six-time finisher of the Marathon des Sables. But the Clipper Race was a different mental and physical challenge than any of her others and about as unique an adventure as you can find anywhere. We caught up with Harper to learn more about the experience, and help you decide if it’s for you.

Outside: As an endurance athlete, what appealed to you about the Clipper Race?

Samantha Harper: “Learn to sail” had been on my to-do list for years. This was one very clear way to cross that item off. I think the more endurance events you complete, the more you wonder what else lies just beyond your comfort zone.

What was it like for you to learn such an extreme new sport?

Intimidating at first. It was a steep learning curve and it felt like I was learning a whole new language. Participation in the Clipper Race, however, is contingent upon completing four weeks of mandatory training, so I knew I would learn enough to be a functional (and safe!) crew member.

How did your prior endurance experience help you complete the Clipper Race?

The biggest transferable skill I brought from endurance racing was self-management. Whether you’re 24 hours deep into an ultramarathon or 24 days deep into an ocean crossing, you need to maximize your rest periods and have a system for keeping key pieces of your kit easily accessible.

What kind of physical, mental, and natural obstacles do you face on the voyage?

When you’re sailing upwind—which is a lot of the time—it’s normal that the boat heels (leans). Living below deck at a 40-degree angle and in close quarters with your crewmates requires patience and agility! The boat is racing 24 hours a day, so there’s no such thing as a day off if you’re tired or not in the mood to go on deck (or seasick, as was the case with me, many, many times). You have to dig deep and keep showing up, because your crewmates are counting on you to pitch in.

How does finishing the race help you tackle new challenges?

These days, if I’m stuck in the “pain cave” at an endurance event, I remind myself that I’m a Clipper Race Circumnavigator and it helps me to rise above.

How has completing the race impacted your life in other ways?

You come away from an experience like this with lifelong friends and some great stories. Since the race I’ve set myself the goal of sailing solo to the Torngat Mountains, a remote national park in the far north of Labrador, which will require more training and upskilling to do safely.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about taking part in the Clipper Race?

My brother’s favourite quote is “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” Watch clips of the race—nearly all of those people were just like you and I before they took the plunge. They did it—so can you!

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. People from around the world train to become ocean racing sailors. This unique event sees teams battle extreme conditions as they race more than 40,000 nautical miles in a true test of determination.