2025-2026 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race: Discover the Excitement of PORT WEEK in Tongyeong!

The future of Tongyeong's global maritime festival…Clipper Race arrivals kick off

The 2025–2026 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race arrived in Tongyeong this week as participating yachts began their port activities, officially launching the city’s race festivities.

At 11 a.m. on the 16th, yachts competing in the Clipper Race pulled into Tongyeong’s Donam Harbor dock one after another. The Gyeongnam Tongyeong, which won the Qingdao (China)–Tongyeong leg, was the first to enter. As more yachts followed, the dock filled with a warm welcome for the teams.

The Clipper Race is a global, long-distance event in which amateur sailors crew alongside professional skippers to cover roughly 40,000 nautical miles (about 46,000 miles / 74,000 km). Held every two years, this edition features ten identical 70-foot (about 21 m) yachts racing and visiting ports around the world.

Tongyeong is an official port of call for the race and will host a weeklong PORT WEEK from the 16th through the 22nd, serving up a seaside festival that brings competitors, residents and visitors together.

When the yachts arrived, residents and crew family members gathered at the dock to greet the sailors. After finishing their leg, crew members praised Tongyeong’s scenic coastline and warm hospitality.

PORT WEEK will offer a variety of public programs: Clipper yacht tours led by sailors, global cultural experiences, a PORT TABLE food zone highlighting Tongyeong seafood and local brands, plus evening performances and a fireworks show to entertain locals and tourists.

On the final day, the 22nd, a Parade of Sail will take place. All the yachts will hoist their sails and cross Tongyeong Bay, creating a stunning send-off as they depart for the next leg from Gyeongnam to Seattle.

“The arrival of the Clipper Race yachts, which have been sailing around the world, marks a meaningful moment connecting Tongyeong’s waters with the rest of the world,” said Kim Oe-young, director of the Tourism and Transportation Bureau. “I hope the competitors fully enjoy Tongyeong’s beautiful sea and the warm charm of our city during their week here.”

For more details and to reserve programs for the 2025–2026 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race port events, visit the official website or check social media.

Gyeongnam — Jeong Do-jeong, reporter sos6831@viva100.com