On the 31 August, 20 sailing professionals will leave Portsmouth, leading their 10 teams on an 11-month endurance challenge around the world – and 55 per cent of this line-up are women.
The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind which trains people from all walks of life to become ocean racers. And on this record-breaking edition, 11 out of the 20 exceptional leaders will be women – the first time this has been seen in a round the world sailing race. Each of the 10 teams taking part has an experienced skipper and first mate onboard. Four of the 10 skippers are women, along with seven of the first mates. In the summer of women’s sport- it’s not just women’s football, cricket and rugby breaking records – it is happening out on the high seas too.
Clipper 2025-26 Race Skipper, Ella Hebron, competed on the previous edition of the global event as a First Mate, so has already completed one circumnavigation. “Sailing is a level playing field – with the ocean an equaliser. It’s not going to treat male or female, older or younger people any differently to each other. The relentlessness of the ocean – you can’t manipulate it, it’s there to give everyone the same challenges and everyone the same joys.”
An appointment as a Skipper and First Mate on the Clipper Race is one of the toughest jobs in sailing. Each will lead teams of non-professionals, making six ocean crossings on the 40,000nm, 11-month race around the globe. Each team is crewed by up to 22 people – with up to 40 per cent having never sailed before signing up. On the current edition, crew’s day jobs (when not competing!) include teacher, plumber, firefighter, accountant and pastry chef – and hail from over 50 nations around the world. All have been through intensive and rigorous training to take part in the adventure of a lifetime.
With four women taking on the role of Clipper Race Skipper, this is the highest number that has appeared on the event’s starting line and double the amount on the previous edition. The number of female first mates has increased from four to seven on the Clipper 2025-26 Race (compared to the 2023-24 edition). Race Crew can sign up to participate on one or multiple legs or the full circumnavigation. On this edition – the number of these every day women choosing to sail the full circumnavigation has increased to 25 per cent (from 21 per cent on the last edition).
Welsh Clipper Race Skipper, Lowri “Lou” Boorman says: “There are no ‘pink jobs’ or ‘blue jobs’ on the boat. I am capable of doing every role and I am 5ft 2. If I can do everything, I know every single one of my crew can do all of those jobs as well.”
The next edition will start from Portsmouth on 31 August and over the course of the almost yearlong event, over 700 participants will face all that Mother Nature can throw at them. From hurricane force winds, to blistering heat, the isolation of the North Pacific Ocean to learning to live on a yacht with stripped back facilities in close quarters with their teammates – this event is a true test of mental and physical fortitude.
The full Clipper 2025-26 Race Skipper line-up:
Angela Brandsma, Dutch (Sneek, The Netherlands)
David Sautret, French (Bordeaux, France)
Dylan Kotze, South African (Cape Town, South Africa)
Oliver Irvine, Northern Irish (Chester)
Ella Hebron, British (Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK)
Gavin Rees, Welsh (Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, UK)
Guy Waites, British (Leeds and Catwick, Yorkshire, UK)
Heather Thomas, British (Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK)
Lowri “Lou” Boorman, Welsh (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales)
Philip Quinn, Irish (County Down, Northern Ireland)
The full First Mate line up is as follows:
Amy Smith, British (Somerset, UK)
Charlie Cullen, British (West Sussex, UK)
Brian Uniacke, Irish (Dublin, Ireland)
Diana Vega, British (Isle of Wight, UK)
Faith Nordbruch, British (Isle of Wight, UK)
Jade Golder, British (Surrey, UK)
Lorraine O Hanlon, Irish (Clare, Ireland)
Millie Apperley, British (West Yorkshire, UK)
Otto Kulow, British/German (Leipzig, Germany/Harrogate, UK)
Zoe Longley, British (Derbyshire, UK)
Sailing is one of the few sports where men and women compete together in mixed teams. On the Clipper Race – each team is led by a professional sailing duo of Skipper and First Mate and has a mixed team of up to 22 Race Crew. On previous editions the male/female percentage split across participants (non-professional race crew) has been 70/30.
The Clipper 2017-18 Race saw a female one-two result with Australian Skipper Wendy Tuck* becoming the first woman ever to win any round the world yacht race, with Brit Nikki Henderson taking second place, aged 23. Since then, South African Kirsten Neuschäfer won the Golden Globe Race in 2022 – the first woman to win a solo round the world race under sail. On the Vendee Globe’s 2024 edition, French sailor, Violette Dorange, made history as the youngest ever participant to finish the event at just 23 years old.
The Clipper Race has created a pathway to becoming a sailing professional and on previous editions has supported Race Crew to progress through the ranks including from participant to First Mate to Skipper. Clipper Race Skipper, Heather Thomas has been through this sailing pathway. In 2015, Heather was awarded a bursary place to race across the North Pacific Ocean on the Clipper Race as crew. After that experience, she decided she wanted to work in the sailing industry. Fast forward to 2024, Heather was the skipper of Maiden, the first ever all-women crew to win a round the world yacht race. And now she is returning to the Clipper Race as a Skipper.
Heather says: “When I took part in the Clipper 2015-16 Race, I was lucky enough to have Wendy Tuck* as my skipper. She was a phenomenal inspiration and mentor to me not only on the race, but going forward. She’s helped me a lot in my career and has encouraged me to do more racing. I didn’t necessarily think I’d get into racing, but Wendy instilled a competitive spirit in me and taught me a lot about sailing. I’m really excited to be following in her footsteps.”
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race was founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 30 years ago (March 1995) and trains people from all walks of life to learn seamanship and become ocean racers. Each participant must complete four stages of intensive training before signing up for one or multiple legs or the full 40,000 nautical mile circumnavigation. The ten strong fleet of matched Clipper 70 ocean racing yachts makes six ocean crossings – including the North Pacific – and the Clipper Race is the only round the world yacht race to cross this vast and unforgiving ocean.
All skippers went through a rigorous selection process led by the Clipper Race Management Team. The team’s Race Director, Deputy Race Director and Race Manager have all competed as a Race Skipper on previous editions and therefore understand the unique requirements of this role.
Looking ahead to the event’s 14th edition, Clipper Race Director, Dale Smyth, says: “Our selection process is tough, and rightly so, as these individuals are taking on one of the toughest jobs in the global sailing industry. They need to not only be incredibly good sailors but able to lead, inspire and look after a big team of diverse individuals across the harshest oceans on the planet.”
The race makes up to 14 ports of call on its global route and the upcoming route includes Portsmouth (UK), Puerto Sherry (Spain), Punta del Este (Uruguay), Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle (Australia), Qingdao (China), Tongyeong City (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama and Oban (UK).
Applications are still open for crew to sign up to participate on later legs of the Clipper 2025-26 Race with a FastTrack training programme in place. And the Clipper 2027-28 Race is now recruiting. To find out more visit clipperroundtheworld.com.
