“All or nothing”: A participant reports on the Clipper Round the World Race

For years, Petra Liebtanz had been fascinated by the world of ocean sailing, but it took her a while to realise that an amateur sailor could actually take part in a round-the-world regatta. She soon made up her mind: if she was going to do the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, she was going to do it properly. In other words, not just one leg, but the whole course.

YACHT: What motivates a photographer to sail round the world at breakneck speed?

Petra Liebtanz: I was born in Düsseldorf, lived in America for a long time and have been interested in ocean sailing since around 2000. I’ve always found the Vendée Globe incredibly fascinating. For a long time, though, I thought that something like that was only possible for professionals.

It wasn’t until 2020 that I stumbled across a film about Robin Knox-Johnston, which also featured the Clipper Race. That’s when I realised: you can actually take part in it. I signed up straight away and then decided to sail in the edition following our youngest son’s A-levels.

And then the whole lap straight away?

Yes. It was actually clear to me right from the start. It was all or nothing. Just one or two stages wouldn’t have appealed to me.

• ​Interview with Otto Kulow: Clipper victory with an amateur crew
• ​Clipper Round the World Race: Youngest winning duo take overall victory

A journey into the unknown?

How does the process work – from the initial idea to implementation?

First, there’s an interview. They’ll find out who you are, why you want to do this, and whether you’re the right fit for this sort of programme. This is followed by four weeks of training. In the first week, you’ll get to know the boat and the basics. In the second week, you’ll be out at sea all week and get a feel for life on board. Then comes spinnaker training, and in the final week, the focus shifts more towards practising for race conditions.

So it’s not a leap into the unknown?

No, not at all. I felt that it was organised very professionally and was safe. That was exactly what mattered to me. And that feeling was later confirmed.

"The Bay of Biscay was my baptism of fire"

When did things first get serious?

Right from the start. It was pretty rough in the Bay of Biscay, and I felt absolutely dreadful for a whole week. I’d never experienced anything like it before. I lost four kilos, spent most of my time in my bunk, threw up, then sat back down on deck and tried to help out as best I could.

At that point, I found myself thinking: If this carries on like this, I don’t know if I’ll be able to manage it.

But you just carry on. And I think that’s exactly what you take away from it. If something isn’t working on board, you keep at it until the problem is sorted. That patience and problem-solving skill have certainly developed further in me.

• ​​Clipper Round the World Race: New yachts for life-changing cabin charters

The Southern Ocean, big waves, great happiness

What was your personal highlight?

Definitely the Southern Ocean on the third leg. Standing at the helm in those huge waves and surfing down them. It was incredible. We reached a top speed of almost 30 knots. Add to that the sense of isolation, the albatrosses, that feeling of vastness. For me, that was an absolute highlight.

What’s it like to sail a 70-footer?

It’s like a huge bus or lorry. You can feel that weight and power everywhere. Even with the winches, you can tell straight away just what sort of loads are on them. Everything is heavier: the sails, the manoeuvres, the mainsail – every single movement on board, in fact.

Everyone on board had a job to do. What was yours?

Yes, I used to be a sailmaker. So I’ve repaired lots of sails. On the seventh leg, our Code One tore. We repaired it and hoisted it again later. When the sail held up, it was a brilliant moment. You never forget situations like that.

You were part of the London Business School team. How is a team like that actually put together?

You can put forward your preferences in advance. I’d met someone during a training session who I’d like to sail with again. He wanted to sail with a particular skipper, and I ended up wanting that too. In the end, it worked out really well for me.

Costs and conditions for the Clipper Race

Many people dream of an adventure like this. But how much money do you need to set aside?

The cost of the race came to around 50,000 pounds for me. On top of that, there was insurance and expenses during the stopovers. But I planned it well in advance and saved up for it over the years. Other people buy a car. I preferred to have this experience – the ‘experience of a lifetime’.

And what qualities should you have?

I think you need to be a calm, even-tempered person – and, in a way, tolerant of other people. You also need to be reasonably fit. Living in such a confined space for weeks on end only works if people get on with one another.

You can read more about this here:

• ​How the selection process and preparations for the Clipper Race work
• ​​Clipper Race: A participant’s account

It doesn’t end after the round-the-world voyage

Did the race leave you feeling a bit fed up, or did it really get you hooked?

I’m quite hooked, actually. I’d now like to do my Yachtmaster course and definitely carry on sailing. I’ve already got some new plans that I’m really looking forward to.

The race is promoted with the slogan “Life-changing Challenge”. Was that the case?

‘Life-changing’ is, of course, a big word. It has certainly changed me. Whether it has changed my whole life, I don’t know – but it really is an incredible experience.

​Find out more about the Clipper Round the World Race and you can read about the teams here.