The 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 got underway Monday 23 February in spectacular style in Antigua from Fort Charlotte, high above the iconic Pillars of Hercules.
At the start of the 17th edition, the international RORC fleet set out for the non-stop 600-mile race around 11 stunning Caribbean islands . . . 600 miles of trade wind sailing.
The starting sequence was split into five starts with the Multihull and IRC Monohull entries at the end of the sequence.
White caps on the Caribbean surf confirmed at least 15 knots of breeze, but tantalizing shifts and wind lanes produced very tactical decisions from the get-go.
IRC Two
Among the 14 boats competing in IRC Two, Cox & Dunlop’s J/122 Mojito (GBR) made a sharp inshore start, timing their run to the line to perfection. Richard Dilley’s GS46 Belladonna (GBR) slightly overcooked their approach and were called OCS but returned promptly to restart correctly.
IRC One
It was congested at the pin end for the IRC One start, with a ball of boats lining up for a fiercely competitive run to the gun. Opting to stay clear of the mêlée and start inshore paid dividends for Hervé Grunig’s Swan 56 Azahar (FRA), who found clean air early. Among those committed to the pin-end battle, Xavier Bellouard’s Lift 45 Maxitude (FRA) and Bruce Chafee’s RP42 Rikki (USA) emerged best from the pack.
IRC Zero + Class40
If the opening salvos are any indication, the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 is set for a full-blooded duel in IRC Zero. The pre-start between Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán (SWE) and Frédéric Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 (FRA) was nothing short of electric.
Rán seized the early initiative, forcing Daguet 5 into evasive action to avoid being over the line. At the Barbuda Mark, Daguet 5 was ahead from Rán by less than seven minutes with Palanad 4 back up to full speed and less than six minutes behind Rán.
IRC Super Zero
With virtually the entire big boat class committing to the pin end, the start was always going to be a high-stakes confrontation. Mills 72 Balthasar skippered by Louis Balcaen was marginally early and eased sheets a fraction close to the line. Balthasar was quickly overhauled by Remon Vos’ Maxi 100 Black Jack 100.
To leeward and a fraction later than Black Jack, the Farr 100 Leopard 3, helmed by Joost Schuijff, hit the line at full pace and squeezed up to windward of Black Jack 100, momentarily backwinding the 100-footer as both charged towards the cliffs of Antigua with little sea room to spare. The early duel continued offshore, with Black Jack 100 rounding the Barbuda mark first, holding a two-minute advantage over Leopard 3.
Multihull Class
The pin end was once again tightly packed for the 11-strong multihull start, setting up an aggressive dash off the line. Marc Guillemot’s MG5 WellnessTraining (FRA) judged it perfectly, winning the pin and stretching out in clear air. To leeward of the main group, Matteo Uliassi’s DNA F4 Falcon (ITA) also secured a clean getaway.
Taking a more measured approach, race record holder Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) avoided the congestion entirely, accelerating through the line well to leeward of the fleet. By the Barbuda mark, Argo held the advantage, though by less than eight minutes, keeping the duel finely poised.
