Cape Town sailor Dylan Kotze is preparing to helm a team of adventurers in one of the planet’s most gruelling maritime competitions: the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2025-26.
Departing Portsmouth, UK, in August 2025, Kotze will guide his crew across six treacherous ocean crossings, battling hurricane-force winds and the vast isolation of the North Pacific over an 11-month, 40,000-nautical-mile journey.
Kotze, inspired by trailblazing South African skippers like Clipper Race Director Dale Smyth and former skipper David “Wavy” Immelman, aims to carve his name into South Africa’s rich sailing heritage.
As per Cape Town Guy, Kotze says: “I see the Clipper Race as the ultimate opportunity to challenge myself and accomplish something truly extraordinary. Ocean sailing is a gruelling sport – it’s mostly being tired, hungry and wet. But, the glimpses of oceanic wildlife, sunrises and sunsets, and of course the sense of camaraderie and fulfilment of reaching your goal is unbeatable.”
For Kotze, the second leg of the global race holds a special significance – the fleet’s arrival in Cape Town will mark a triumphant end to the voyage and return to his hometown.
“Of course, I’m most looking forward to winning Leg 2 – the leg into my home port!” says Kotze.
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Dale Smyth, once a race participant and now the first South African to oversee Clipper Round the World Yacht Race as Director, echoes a love for the sea as a proud South African.
“It’s always good sailing home. For those that haven’t done it, sailing into Table Bay is incredible,” he says. “With a long and unique history of being connected to some of the world’s greatest ocean sailing races like the Cape to Rio, the Ocean Race, the Whitbread and Around Alone, South Africans have always had an understanding and connection with the sea.”
“It is common for South Africans to also deeply respect the sea, knowing that from the Wild Coast to the Skeleton Coast to the Cape of Good Hope, the long and dramatic coastline produces some of the most fearsome conditions. The Clipper Race provides an opportunity for crew to become part of this history and legacy, and to put their name among the list of greats that have approached and departed this iconic ocean destination,” says Smyth.
The Clipper Race, now in its 14th edition, features 11 international teams led by professional skippers. Teams earn points across eight legs, with victories often decided by mere seconds apart, after almost a year at sea.
The 2025-26 route will include 14 stopovers, with Cape Town confirmed as the final stop, including Portsmouth(UK), Qingdao (China), and Tongyeong City (Korea) along the way.
Applications are still open for aspiring crew members eager to embark on a life-changing odyssey.
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