Sail around the world? Yes, you can.

If there’s one thing that unites all endurance athletes, it’s a sense of adventure. Whether they’re mountain biking, running city streets, swimming in icy waters, or doing all three in one day, some athletes just love to explore their potential. If this is you, leave it Clipper Round is a worldwide yacht race on your sustainability bucket list. This is a complete round the world tour that is open to everyone and no swimming experience is required.

You can for everything – 40,000 nautical miles! – or one or more eight legs. Everyone accepted goes through four phases of intensive training to prepare you for life as a full-time ocean racer, and every yacht is manned by professional sailors at all times. Because swimming skills can be taught, but does it take a sense of courage and determination to do it? It has to be earned. Along the way, you’ll experience the speed of the Atlantic trade winds from the UK to South America or the “Stormy Forties” from South Africa to the west coast of Australia and more.

This year’s competition is well underway and applications are now being accepted for the 2027-28 edition. This spring and summer, you can catch the race at events on the West and East coasts. At these free events, you can board one of the Clipper Race yachts and meet the Race Crew. In events April 22-24 in Seattle and June 18-20 in Washington, DC. You can also continue with your favorite yachts online and follow them in real time as they race around the world.

There is nothing like hearing from someone who has done it. And Samantha Harper did it all. The GP from Canada was part of the 2017–2018 Clipper Race and completed the entire journey in just over eleven months of racing. This was hardly his first foray into global endurance racing—he will complete his final race at the 2027 Mongolia Deserts Ultramarathon Series 4 and is a six-time Marathon des Sables finisher. But the Clipper Race was a mental and physical challenge beyond any other, and about a unique adventure 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 attracted you to the Clipper race?

Samantha Harper: “Learn to sail” has been on my to-do list for years. It was a very obvious way to get this stuff across. I think the more endurance events you do, the more you’ll be surprised that there’s something outside of your comfort zone.

How was learning such a new sport for you?

Intimidation at first. It was a steep learning curve and felt like I was learning a whole new language. However, participating in the Clipper race is dependent on completing four weeks of mandatory training, so I knew I would learn enough to be a functional (and safe!) member of the crew.

How did your past endurance experience help you finish the Clipper race?

The biggest transferable skill I brought from endurance racing was self-management. Whether you’re 24 hours deep in an ultramarathon or 24 days across an ocean, you need to maximize your rest periods and have a system in place to keep the essentials of your kit within easy reach.

What physical, mental, and natural obstacles do you encounter while traveling?

When you are sailing downwind – which is often – the heel of the boat (leaning) is normal. Living below decks at a 40 degree angle and in close proximity to your teammates requires patience and agility! The boat runs 24 hours a day, so there’s no day off if you’re tired or in no mood to go out on deck (or in the sea, as it happened to me, many, many times). You have to dig deep and show yourself because your teammates are counting on you to get in.

How does completing a 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 that helps me push through.

How did finishing the race affect your life in other ways?

You will walk away from such an experience with lifelong friends and some great stories. Since the race, I’ve made it a point to only swim the Torngat Mountains, a remote national park in northern Labrador that requires more training and skill development for safety.

What would you say to someone thinking about participating in the Clipper Race?

My brother’s favorite quote is “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” Watch the race clips – almost all of them were people like you and me before they drowned. They did it – you can too!

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In Clipper Round is a worldwide yacht race is one of the most difficult endurance challenges on the planet. People from all over the world train to become ocean racing sailors. This unique event sees teams compete in extreme conditions as they travel more than 40,000 nautical miles in a real test.