every crewmember goes through a "rigorous training course" before the race.
The Clipper Race has been going on for many years now -- the brainchild of Robin Knox-Johnston, so "rigorous" is probably an understatement. It's similar to the race Chay Blyth ran, except his race went the "wrong" way around.
The Clipper Race has been pretty successful. A few dramas. like the mid-Pacific of a crewmember who fell overboard in the last edition (now a book).