South Coast sailing organisation named Event of the Year at British Yachting Awards

South Coast sailing organisation named Event of the Year at British Yachting Awards © Clipper Race

South Coast sailing organisation named Event of the Year at British Yachting Awards © Clipper Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht race has been named as the Event of the Year at the British Yachting Awards.

Headquartered in Gosport on the South Coast of England, it's an award that will sit pride of place for the Clipper Race after the organisation took the top spot in the events category against some of the industry's global leaders.

The award, which commends the events which celebrate the sport of sailing, saw the Clipper Race go up against the likes of global household names such as Sail GP and the Vendée Globe.

With the Clipper Race now in its 30th year of operation, the readers of Sailing Today with Yachts and Yachting, commended the biennial event for its work in attracting new enthusiasts into the world of sailing.

Currently partway through its next lap of the globe, the Clipper Race left its local waters of Portsmouth on 31 August. The fleet of ten ocean racing yachts, crewed by nearly 200 everyday people per leg - and including South Coast locals, is now racing across the Roaring Forties as it heads towards Fremantle, Australia, a challenging part of its 40,000nm route.

Clipper Race's Founder and Chairman, and Portsmouth resident, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, said: "Being named Event of the Year is an incredible honour for the Clipper Race. This award celebrates the courage, teamwork, and spirit of adventure that the Clipper Race still embodies, thirty years on from our events formation. From our Race Crew, professional sailors and our organising team behind the scenes, this recognition reflects exactly what makes the Clipper Race so special to so many in the industry."

Sam Jefferson, editor of Sailing Today said: "The British Yachting Awards are voted for by the readers of Sailing Today with Yachts and Yachting, and they know a thing or two about sailing. It is therefore the highest compliment the yachting public can pay to the Clipper Race by voting for the race as Event of the Year. It is public recognition of the huge and important role the race has played in introducing newcomers to the thrills and spills of ocean racing.

The Clipper Race will return to Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth on July 27 2026 for its Grand Finale event.