OBAN is set to welcome the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race once again, after it was selected as a port in the 25-26 edition of the legendary sailing challenge.
The west coast town hosted the race for the first time in July last year, when it was estimated to have attracted thousands of visitors to the area and generated £2 million in revenue from the crews and their families alone.
The town will be hoping for a repeat of this success when the competition’s 11 boats and 200 sailors arrive there in early summer 2026, during the town’s international sailing festival.
The stopover will come during leg eight of the 40,000-nautical mile race, when the sailors will be tackling the 3900 nautical miles from North America to the finish line in Portsmouth.
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The announcement comes just months after Oban was named Scotland town of the year in the 2024 Scotland Loves Local awards.
Argyll and Bute council leader Jim Lynch said it was “fantastic news” that the race will be returning to Oban next year.
“It’s a huge, international event and so is a welcome opportunity to attract people to Oban, and Argyll and Bute more widely, and to bring global focus on the area as a great place to visit and invest,” he added.
Andrew Spence, chief executive of Bid4Oban, added that the event would “showcase Scotland at its best with numerous events and activities planned”.
Last year, the crews spent 10 days in Oban, during which they visited Dunollie Castle, and took part in whisky tastings at Oban Distillery, Gaelic lessons, and a shinty taster session, as well as a trip to nearby Lismore.
Stirling-born Max Rivers, who was a skipper during the 2023-24 edition and is deputy race director in the 25-26 edition described the experience of arriving in home waters.
“The west coast of Scotland has some of the best sailing in the world, and it was an honour to share the most gorgeous parts of the nation with my global crew,” he said.
“Having grown up sailing in and around Oban, I relished the opportunity to sail there again with the Clipper Race.
“Our arrival and departure in the Firth of Lorn didn’t disappoint with its amazing wind and scenery, making it truly one of the most memorable sailing locations in the world.
“And to top it off, the town was an amazing host with brilliant events and spectacular hospitality.
“Oban put on a superb stopover, and I am delighted that our next intake of international crew will get to enjoy all that the town has to offer in 2026.”
The roster for the 25-26 edition of the race includes five participants living in Scotland, and Clipper Ventures head of partnerships, Kate Ashley, said work is currently underway to include a “Scottish named yacht” in the event.
“This partnership with Oban means we will once again see this Scottish town of the year sit alongside major international cities on our race route,” she said.
“Oban, with its rich maritime history and warm hospitality, is the perfect destination to welcome our adventurous crew after a tough ocean crossing.
“Our event brings with it a global audience and in the 30 years since the Clipper Race launched its first circumnavigation, we’ve seen many collaborations develop into broader partnerships which can include a team entry.
“A Scottish named yacht in our event would give brands an international platform as our fleet sails to 14 destinations around the world and we are currently working to make this a possibility.”
Other ports announced on the race so far are Portsmouth (where the race begins and ends), Cape Town, Tongyeong in Korea and Qingdao in China, with further ports due to be announced later this month.
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race was founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world.
Most participants have no previous sailing experience before undertaking an intensive training course to prepare them for the race, and they can choose to complete the full 11-month circumnavigation or to test themselves on one or multiple legs.
