Epic round the world yacht race heads for Punta del Este
by Clipper Race 17 Sep 01:54 NZST
The Clipper Race fleet encountered heavy weather in the opening stage dubbed 'a baptism of fire' through the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France © Clipper Race
The ten teams racing in the Clipper 2025-26 Round the World Yacht Race have departed Puerto Sherry, Spain, bound for the second stop of the circumnavigation; Punta del Este, Uruguay.
The second stage of the global route, titled Stage 2: The YCPE Cup, is a 5,300 nm race across the Atlantic Ocean, that includes an equator crossing and a mix of conditions.
This second stage comes after a gruelling 'baptism of fire' opening Clipper Race stage which was won by Team Scotland. The race, titled 'The Battle Over Biscay' spanned 1,275 nautical miles from Portsmouth, UK, across the Bay of Biscay and onto Puerto Sherry, Spain. Strong headwinds dictated upwind conditions to start the race, and three frontal systems passed over the fleet which served up big waves and sailing challenges, with no gentle ease into the start of the 40,000nm route.
In addition to being one of the Clipper Race Host Ports, the Uruguayan destination also has a team in the race, Team Yacht Club Punta del Este, led by professional Skipper David Sautret and First Mate Lorraine O'Hanlon.
On departure from Puerto Sherry, Lorriane O'Hanlon said: "We have got 5,300 miles to race, so it's going to be a marathon of a race! But do you know what? The reception we will get racing into Punta del Este will be worth every single nautical mile. It is amazing!"
After a difficult first stage, departing the bay of Cádiz on Sunday, 14 September, the Clipper Race fleet will be greeted with more favourable sailing conditions for this next stage of the challenge. Clipper Race Director Dale Smyth said: "There will be a light wind start, but within the first 24 hours, there will be just the most perfect sailing conditions with the North East trade winds taking teams down past the Canary Islands and Cape Verde.
"At that stage there will be challenges going through the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) but then on the other side, there will be South West trades which will provide upwind conditions to begin with but will get better and better for the teams as they race south down to Punta del Este."
Once teams have arrived into Punta del Este, a very special stopover awaits. Warm welcomes, fantastic South American hospitality and brilliant grassroots and community and school engagement opportunities await. For the home team, it is always an incredibly memorable Host Port stop.
Looking at the race to come, Yacht Club Punta del Este Skipper David said: "It will be a champagne sailing start, blue skies and steady winds. The nav station work will be intense, looking at the charts and forecasts. The crew is very focused to do the best they can to make Yacht Club Punta del Este proud. I can't wait to get there, and I'll do my best to be the fastest team there."
The Clipper Race was founded 30 years ago by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the world. Now in its 14th edition, the Clipper Race breaks down barriers to ocean racing and enables people from many different age, geographic and occupational backgrounds, the lifechanging opportunity to push their limits and experience Mother Nature in her raw and powerful glory.
Led by a professional Skipper and First Mate, the teams of non-professional crews represent 40 nationalities and come from many walks of life. The race is broken down into eight legs and Race Crew can take on any combination of one, through to all eight legs - making them circumnavigators
Once festivities draw to a close in Punta del Este, the race will head for Cape Town (South Africa), Fremantle and Airlie Beach (Australia), Subic Bay (Philippines), Qingdao (China), Tongyeong City (Korea), Seattle (USA), Panama, Washington, DC (USA) and Oban (UK) before returning to Portsmouth (UK) next summer.