I like doing things that push me out of my comfort zone, although that’s getting harder to achieve these days. In May 2025, Mark Webber effectively challenged me to enter the Clipper Race and promptly signed up for the Perth to Whitsundays leg over Christmas. As those dates didn’t work for me, I committed to the following leg, sailing from Australia to China via the Philippines (although the stopover wasn’t confirmed at the time).

Over the summer, I’ve completed four levels of intensive, week-long training, attempting to convert a non-sailor into someone who (hopefully) won’t hurt himself on a 70-foot racing yacht.

The leg covers around 5,800 miles, involves approximately 35 days at sea, and crosses the equator. I’ll set off from Airlie Beach on 19 January and expect to arrive in Qingdao around 5 March. There’s also a friendly fundraising competition between the boats, so please dig deep—Mark has done exceptionally well so far, and he’s on a different boat to me.

You can track the race at https://clipperroundtheworld.geovoile.com/2025/tracker/

Thank you,

an

UNICEF has been a Charity and Team Partner for the Clipper Race since the 2015-16 edition, during this time has raised £1.6 million for children around the world.

UNICEF has 15,000 people working in more than 190 countries, responding to emergencies and building long-term resilience. We save children's lives with vaccines, clean water, and therapeutic food. We protect children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. We empower children through quality education. And seek to create a safe and sustainable world where children can live, learn and grow.