( CNN ) -- Could you survive on four hours sleep a day ? What about coming face-to-face with waves the size of three-storey buildings ? Or not seeing your loved ones for an entire year ? As the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race set sail from London on Sunday , 670 amateur sailors will soon find out if they have what it takes to complete one of the most grueling sporting challenges known to man -- sailing around the globe . Over the next year they will travel through the harshest conditions on the planet -- facing everything from wild storms in the Southern Ocean , to frustratingly calm seas near the equator . The 12 yachts , each measuring 21 meters , will visit 15 ports on six continents . While some sailors will join for a month-long leg of the journey , others will quit their jobs and say goodbye to their family and friends for the full 11-month circumnavigation . But despite the almost superhuman challenge ahead of them , many of the competitors had until recently never set sail in their life . From 18-year-old students to 70-year-old retirees , the gutsy sailors taking part in this year 's race will -- quite literally -- be thrown in the deep end . `` For most people it will be the first time they 're sleeping and living on a boat for a long period of time , '' said Nik Brbora , who completed the 2012 race . `` They 'll have to get used to the uncomfortable conditions , lack of sleep , and shift work -- usually four hours on , four hours off . Then there 's the weather -- in all your training you ca n't really experience your first big storm , '' added the 29-year-old IT engineer from London . Founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston -- the first person to sail solo , non-stop , around the world in 1969 -- the Clipper Race revolves around the notion anyone can circumnavigate the globe , regardless of their experience . The only selection criteria is people must be over 18 , pass a three-week sailing course and be physically fit enough to complete the epic voyage . But at around Â£43,000 ( $ 67,000 ) per person for a full year-long voyage , it 's not simply a huge physical undertaking , but a significant financial one . `` It 's a little bit like moving country -- you have to say goodbye to everyone you know . All your possessions are broken down into one bag for an entire year , '' said Brbora . `` The Clipper motto is that 'anyone can do it . ' I was just an average guy working in the city , not a massive adventurer like Sir Robin Knox-Johnston . But I did it , and I 've come out of it so much stronger and with so much more self-belief . ''
The Round the World Yacht Race kicks off in London . Over 200 amateur sailors will face harshest conditions on the planet . From three - meter waves to sweltering heat , do you have what it takes ? Explore our interactive map to see what lies ahead for crews .