Progress is not measured only in miles

Ten teams began the 2025-26 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race on August 31, with the 14th edition completing the first half of the multi-leg course around the world. Racing identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s, this event for amateurs is en route to the Philippines, with the milestone prompting reflection.

“I set out to sail around the world and discovered that the greater journey was inward,” noted crew Jimmy Johnson. “What began as an adventure became a lesson in humility, endurance, and gratitude. The ocean strips life down to its essentials. Out here, you learn that strength isn’t found in force, but in patience, awareness, and the willingness to continue when comfort disappears.

“There comes a moment when you believe you have nothing left to give. The sea teaches you that this moment is rarely the end, it is often the beginning of your truest effort. Reaching the halfway point is a reminder that progress is not measured only in miles sailed, but in the understanding gained along the way.”

Event Details: www.clipperroundtheworld.com

About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race:
The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors.

Held biennially, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has a fleet of identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s that compete on a multi-leg course around the world. The team having the best cumulative score over the entire course wins the Clipper Race Trophy. Ten teams will compete in the 2025-26 race, with the 14th edition getting underway from Portsmouth, UK on August 31.

The course has eight legs which includes stops in Puerto Sherry (Spain), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle and Arlie Beach (Australia), Subic Bay (Philippines), Qingdao (China), Tongyeong City (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama, Washington, DC (USA) and Oban (UK) before returning to Portsmouth (UK) in summer 2026.

Source: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race