Clipper Fleet Begins Final Atlantic Crossing to Oban

30th June 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Homecoming Harbour — The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet berthed in Oban during the 2023-24 edition. The west coast Scottish port will again welcome the fleet after its final Atlantic crossing from Washington, DC

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet has departed Washington, DC on its final ocean crossing, setting course for Oban, Scotland, as the 2025-26 edition enters its closing stages. The 3,115-nautical-mile Atlantic Homecoming Leg is the final transatlantic challenge before the fleet returns to UK waters. Teams face changing weather systems, tactical routing and North Atlantic conditions in what promises to be a demanding finish to the race's ocean programme.

While the overall winner has already been decided, the battle for the remaining podium places is still wide open.

Team GOSH (Great Ormond Street Hospital) secured the overall title after building an unassailable lead of 136 points. Skipper Oliver Irvine credited the crew's support throughout the ten-month circumnavigation. "Setting out, I never believed I would be able to do this well," said Irvine. "The crew started to work for me, they had my back through the wins and losses. This support was invaluable."

Champions Crowned — Team GOSH skipper Oli Irvine celebrates after securing overall victory in the 2025-26 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race with a leg to spare, the first time the race winner has been decided before the final ocean crossing

Attention now turns to the fight for second and third overall. Power of Seattle Sports occupies second place on 88 points, followed by London Business School on 84, with its point-doubling Joker card in play for this stage, while Team Scotland sits just two points further back.

Team Scotland skipper Heather Thomas said: "We have six points between us and Power of Seattle Sports in second place. It's important that London Business School doesn't get ahead of us, as they have their Joker card to play."

North Atlantic Push — Team Qingdao drives west to east across the North Atlantic as the Clipper Race fleet begins its final 3,115-nautical-mile ocean passage from Washington, DC to Oban, Scotland

London Business School skipper Gavin Rees made his team's ambitions clear. "We are making no bones about it, we want to finish on that podium in Portsmouth."

Founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race remains unique in offshore sailing by training amateur sailors to compete alongside professional Race Skippers and First Mates in a full global circumnavigation.

The fleet's arrival in Oban will mark its return to home waters before the race concludes in Portsmouth. Organisers have also confirmed that the 15th edition of the Clipper Race will begin in summer 2027 with a new fleet of Clipper RX yachts.

Published in Clipper Race

Tagged under

About The Author

Afloat.ie Team

Email The Author

Afloat.ie is Ireland's dedicated marine journalism team.

Have you got a story for our reporters? Email us here.

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven't put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full-time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

You might also want to read...

About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

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. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.