Former Winners Reflect on Life-Changing Race Across the World Experience
Previous champions of the BBC television series Race Across the World, which features five pairs racing globally without phones, internet, flights, or ample funds, have described their journey as "surreal and life-changing." The show is currently inviting new contestants to apply.
The series, which debuted in 2019, awards £20,000 to the first duo to reach the final checkpoint. Contestants must navigate the race relying on limited resources and no digital communication.
Cathie Rowe and Tricia Sail: Series Three Winners
Cathie Rowe, aged 50, and Tricia Sail, 49, lifelong friends from Aberystwyth, secured victory in the third series after racing from Vancouver to Newfoundland.
Tricia, who lives with a degenerative eye condition, was motivated to participate while she still could. She described the experience as:
"the maddest, most surreal, life-changing journey".
A trailer for the sixth series was released on Saturday, hinting at a new extensive route from Europe to the "uncharted edges" of Mongolia.
Tricia shared how the race positively affected her mental health and self-confidence:
"Before the race I was struggling with my mental health, I had no self-belief at all."
She recounted the impact of others' perceptions of her disability:
"I was always told I couldn't do things because my eye sight. When I first started losing my sight I was told not to even use the oven in case I burnt myself. When you hear that kind of thing for 10 years you do stop trying new things. Since going on the show I now give things a go."
Tricia emphasized that her disability was a key reason for joining the show, aiming to demonstrate what people with disabilities can achieve:
"Having a disability was the reason I wanted to go the show so I could prove what people with disabilities can do."
Cathie described the experience as "empowering," noting it boosted her confidence in travel:
"You don't think for one second you're going to be picked when you apply so when you are you're like wow, this is incredible. I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Since the show, Cathie has continued traveling with Tricia and her husband Gareth, visiting landmarks such as the Great Wall of China and Machu Picchu in Peru.
She expressed a desire to explore beyond typical tourist spots:
"Going on the show has given me a lot more confidence in travelling outside usual tourist destinations. I want to see things, not just fly to a place and flop on the beach."
Fin Gough and Sioned Cray: Series Five Participants
Fin Gough, 19, and Sioned Cray, 21, from Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire, competed in the 2025 edition of Race Across the World. The couple, who are childhood sweethearts, finished third after a seven-week race through China, Nepal, and India.
Fin described the challenge of losing access to their phones and not knowing their route:
"It was very daunting having our phones taken off us having no idea where we were going. We had gone on family holidays to places like Tenerife before the show, not put a back pack on and go style travelling."
Sioned reflected on the experience as a deep immersion into travel, which at times was difficult but ultimately rewarding:
"The race was diving into the deep end of travel and at times I struggled but now find travelling easier and more enjoyable."
The couple recently spent a month in South America and plan to visit Morocco to celebrate Fin's 20th birthday.
They returned to India last summer, where series five was filmed. Sioned explained their motivation:
"We went back to India in summer last year because I want to tick off the Seven Wonders of the World. I was determined to see the Taj Mahal because we didn't have time to whilst racing across India."
Since competing, Fin and Sioned have traveled to sixteen countries, including Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Call for New Contestants
The BBC's website currently invites applications for new participants, stating:
"This experience is open to all, whether you're a seasoned traveller or total novice. We want to hear what undertaking a trip like this would mean to you, and with a cash prize at stake, to what lengths you would go to win."
The deadline for submissions is 29 March 2026.
