Tongyeong City held a pre-event press conference on March 10 ahead of the 2025–26 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race’s stopover in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is a long-distance international race that invites amateur sailors from across the globe.
10 race yachts and crews from 26 countries — about 200 competitors — will call at Tongyeong. Organizers expect about 5,000 overseas visitors, including family members, and project total attendance 100,000.
While in town, the crews will take part in exchange programs and public events designed to give the whole city a feel of an international marine sports festival.
The stopover schedule begins with a crew welcome ceremony on the 16th, features a variety of activities for locals and tourists, and wraps up with a departure ceremony on the 22nd.
First up, the crew welcome event will be held March 16–17 at the Clipper yacht berthing area in the Donam tourist zone.
From March 18–20, the public can join Clipper race-boat tours to learn how the yachts operate and to see the crew cabins up close.
The crews themselves will be offered a Korean cultural tour visiting Tongjeyeong, Jungang Market and Gangguan.
On the 19th at 11 a.m., organizers will host an international marine leisure forum at the Stanford Hotel to discuss connecting the event with Tongyeong’s ambitions to become a comprehensive marine leisure tourism city.
From March 20–22, the city will run Port Table (PORT TABLE), a dining and culture program that highlights Tongyeong’s sea and food scene.
Under the theme Taste·Experience·Discover, visitors can sample local ingredients, taste international dishes, and immerse themselves in marine culture.
On the final day, March 22, the departure ceremony for the race’s longest leg — Tongyeong to Seattle — begins at 10 a.m.
The send-off includes the Parade of Sail, where every yacht raises its sails and 10 large racing yachts, each about 30 meters (roughly 98 feet) tall, will cross the waters off Tongyeong.
The program also features fringe performances, a Clipper Racer live talk show, and a Music Wave performance curated as part of South Korea’s Cultural Cities initiative.
Kim Oe-young, director of Tongyeong’s Tourism and Transportation Bureau, said the city plans to make this more than a one-time event — it should be a decisive moment for Tongyeong’s rise as a global marine leisure hub.
Mayor Cheon Young-gi said he hopes hosting this international competition will help cement Tongyeong’s reputation worldwide as a leading marine leisure tourism city.
