Innovative ocean racing fleet announced by creators of iconic Clipper Round the World Yacht Race
The Solent-based creators of the iconic Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has announced a multi-million pound investment in new innovative ocean racing fleet to secure next decade.
Clipper Ventures has announced it is making a huge investment in a next-generation innovative-design fleet of twelve matched 72ft ocean racing yachts - Clipper RX, which will secure the company’s fourth decade in business.
The Clipper Race trains people from all walks of life to become competent non-professional ocean-racing sailors. Over 7,000 crew have participated in 14 editions since the first biennial event was staged in 1996.
It is now regarded as the world’s toughest ocean adventure and was awarded ”Event of the Year” at the 2025 British Yachting Awards for bringing new people into the sport.
Founder and record-breaking legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in1968-9, said: “The new ‘Clipper RX’ fleet benefits from everything we’ve learned from thousands of crew in addition to our own operations team. The new design concept was created in-house and then developed with leading British naval architects.
“It is a major investment in our future and will provide a safe yet exhilarating experience for the crews who take on this unrivalled adventure. The new design is well equipped to cross the most challenging oceans on the planet, between six continents, on a journey that takes nearly 11 months to complete the full circumnavigation of around 40,000 nautical miles.”
The new yacht concept has been translated into the final design by the experienced team at Fish Marine Design | Composites (MDC) in Hampshire with hull lines by world-famous British naval architect Nigel Irens, incorporating a new distinctive bow shape.
The result is the Clipper RX which distils all this experience into a fast and seaworthy vessel with superior safety features integrated seamlessly into a high-performance 72 ft ocean racing yacht designed for the extreme conditions faced by the novel Clipper Race ocean adventure.
Clipper Ventures employs over 50 people at its headquarters at the Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport, and has expanded in recent years to grow its adventure, expedition and sailing events portfolio, including acquisition of the Hamble School of Yachting.
Clipper Ventures co-founder and CEO William Ward OBE said: “I am very proud to see what we’ve achieved over the last 30 years to take the company from strength to strength, despite some major challenges along the way, from economic downturns to a global pandemic. Today we have the world’s leading event of its type that attracts international participants who are seeking a life-changing adventure.
“The experience we’ve amassed is exceptional and has been applied to this major investment in a new fleet that will take us through our fourth decade. We have developed a strong partnership with Qingdao in China over the last 20 years where we are building our latest fleet to the highest quality standards at globally competitive rates.”
Clipper RX components have been sourced from leading UK and International manufacturers. The hulls of the 12-strong fleet are being built at a shipyard in Qingdao, China, and will start to be shipped to the UK later this year for final fitting out. The new fleet is anticipated to enter service for the 15th edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race starting late summer 2027.
Anyone interested in becoming one of the first to race the Clipper RX around the world can discover more details about costs and how to qualify on the race website www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Places are available for one or more of eight legs or the full 11-month circumnavigation. The 14th edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which started its challenge on 31 August 2025, is currently on stopover in Airlie Beach in The Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia, before starting Leg 5 – The Asia-Pacific Challenge to Qingdao in China, where the new Clipper RX fleet and current Clipper 70 hulls are manufactured.
The race, created 30 years ago, returns to Portsmouth on July 25 2026.