Caribbean 600: Different but the same

Seventeen editions into its history, the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 delivered again for 56 teams. The eleven islands of the course have not changed, yet each year the subtle changes to the trade winds write a different script, as does the profound experience of the international alumni of sailors that take part.

From the start in Antigua on February 23, the trade winds settled further south-east than in many recent editions. What is often remembered as a high-speed reaching circuit had longer upwind phases, tighter reaching angles, and frequent transitions through compression zones and wind shadows.

Event details – Results – Tracker

OVERALL IRC GLORY – LEOPARD 3
Overall victory under IRC went to the Farr 100 Leopard 3, securing her second overall triumph in the race. The year’s weather conditions suited her strengths, with recent modifications proving decisive.

“It’s a surprise to win it,” said Leopard’s Joost Schuijff . “Black Jack (RP 100) was very strong, congratulations to them for line honors. There are other boats on IRC rating that would easily match us. So yes, it’s a surprise but I think it was due to our performance and lack of problems. It was the best ‘600 that we ever sailed here in Antigua.”

MONOHULL LINE HONORS SECURED – BLACK JACK 100
The 100-foot contest between Black Jack 100 and Leopard 3 unfolded as a classic maxi match race.

Remon Vos’ RP 100 Black Jack 100, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, secured Monohull Line Honors in 1 Day 20 Hrs 31 Mins 36 Secs, yet the race lead oscillated repeatedly. The south-easterly breeze accentuated the contrast between the boats.

Leopard 3 excelled upwind in 15–20 knots, pointing high and absorbing the Caribbean swell with authority. Black Jack 100 thrived when the angle freed, converting sail power into decisive gains on longer reaching sections.

For Black Jack’s Vos, the battle itself carried meaning beyond the trophy. “It’s fantastic when you’re head to head with similar boats. Who wins? You don’t know. That’s important.”

He spoke not of dominance but of collective growth for the Black Jack project. “It’s all about people,” Vos said . “Young sailors, experienced sailors, different backgrounds. Passion and talent together that’s what makes it work.”

MULTIHULL LINE HONORS TRIUMPH – ARGO
The MOD70 contest delivered one of the closest finishes in race history. Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 Argo (USA) completed the course in 1 Day 12 Hrs 01 Mins 46 Secs, defeating Final Final – Zoulou, sailed by fellow American Jon Desmond, by just over three minutes after over 36 hours of racing, often at over 30 knots of boat speed.

The south-easterly trades reshaped key legs, particularly behind Nevis, turning what is often a stable reach into a gybe-intensive run. Around Guadeloupe, compression zones demanded constant recalculation. The race concluded with a decisive beat from Redonda, where Argo executed a perfectly timed double-tack to gain separation that proved conclusive.

“It’s a beautiful race,” Argo’s Carroll said. “You’re on your toes the whole time. Every few hours you’re rounding an island or making a decision. Guaranteed breeze, great competition.”

IRC ZERO SUPREMACY – PALANAD 4
The Mach 50 Palanad 4 (FRA), skippered by Antoine Magre, took victory in IRC Zero and second overall. James Neville’s Carkeek 45 Ino Noir (GBR) took a bold but calculated gamble on the very last leg to finish second on IRC corrected time by a slim margin. Niklas Zennstrom’s Carkeek 52 Rán (SWE) completed the podium.

With roughly 60% of the race sailed upwind or tight reaching, Frederic Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 (FRA) led on corrected time for the early part of the race, as did Rán. However, Palanad’s steady accumulation through the tighter sections laid the foundation for success.

The scow-bow 50-foot design is causing ripples around the world, ripping past formidable opponents such as Rán on a reach. During the race, Palanad consistently outperformed the opposition and had just enough advantage for the beat to the finish to hold off a late charge by Ino Noir.

“I think one word to describe this race is intensity,” commented Palanad’s Antoine Magre. “We never really settled into a watch system because it was constant maneuvers, constant sail changes, and always dealing with land effects and wind shadows.

“We weren’t off to the best start, but after that we didn’t make many mistakes. We sailed hard and stayed on point most of the time. The final beat from Redonda was definitely stressful, especially with the competition behind us. Securing this class win in such a competitive field is a major achievement for us.”

IRC ONE – NINE MINUTES FOR RIKKI’S TRIUMPH
Bruce Chafee’s RP42 Rikki (USA) sealed classed victory for the RORC Caribbean 600.

While Xavier Bellouard’s Lift 45 Maxitude (FRA) took line honors for the class, they corrected out to second place, just 9 minutes 32 seconds short of Bruce Chafee’s RP42 Rikki (USA). Third place went to Woody Cullen’s Swan 58 WaveWalker (USA).

“My primary job is to bring the team, bring the boat, bring the resources,” noted Chafee. “To give them the tools they need to perform together and create the culture for them to perform together. We are dinghy sailors at heart, and we love pushing the boat as a real sailor does.”

IRC TWO – BELLADONNA’S DREAM REALIZED
The largest class was IRC Two and it proved to be a battle of stamina and steady execution as Richard Dilley’s Grand Soleil 46 Belladonna (GBR) claimed class victory, followed by Ray Rhinelander’s J/133 Bella J (CAN), skippered by Sarah Nicholson, in second with Cox & Dunlop’s J/122 Mojito (GBR) in third.

For Dilley, victory in IRC Two was far more than a line in the results. It was the fulfillment of a long-held ambition to compete in the RORC Caribbean 600.

“For me, it’s kind of a lifetime achievement really, to come out here and race in these amazing waters,” Dilley says. “I can’t put into words how amazing it is. I’ve always wanted to come out here and race.”

MOCRA – CALAMITY’S REDEMPTION
Eleven multihulls competed under the MOCRA Rule, with victory going to the Ocean 50 Calamity, skippered by Timo Tavio, followed by Marcus Sirota’s Sophia, skippered by Adam Davis, with Argo completing the podium.

Calamity’s year began with disappointment, retiring from the RORC Transatlantic Race with a broken boom. Round the world sailor Ryan Breymaier, along with a build team, sleeved the damaged carbon spar, restoring the boat in time for the RORC Caribbean 600.

“When we broke the boom in the RORC Transatlantic, people thought the ‘600 was over for us,” commented Calamity’s Tavio. “We said no, we’ll fix it. Then we got hit on the start line and were bailing water and plugging damage before we’d even settled into race mode.”

Breymaier added, “We set ourselves one rule: don’t make mistakes. If you get around this course without doing anything stupid, you’ll do well. We kept the boat moving, got through the wind holes, and never really stopped.”

CLASS40 – COMPETITION AND SEAMANSHIP
The Class40 division provided one of the most powerful moments of the race. Robin Follin’s Solano (FRA) won the class ahead of Matéo Le Calvic & Pierre Boulbin’s FPFP-TP (FRA), with Mike Hennessy’s Scowling Dragon (USA) third. Yet the defining moment for the winner Solano came in the dead of night at sea in a massive squall.

The TS42 catamaran Cata Sensation, racing in the MOCRA Class, capsized on February 25. In a gust of wind exceeding 30 knots, the catamaran, with six people on board, went over in a matter of seconds.

Solano was very close to Cata Sensation, around 16 nautical miles west of St John’s Harbor, and three competitors, MG5 Wellness Training, VO70 Cockatoo, and Solano diverted immediately. Within 25 minutes, all six sailors had been safely recovered from the water by Solano. With all sailors secured on board, they completed the race winning the Class40 Division.

“When the capsize happened, there was no reflection. We stopped immediately. That’s normal, it is the spirit of sailors. If it was us in the water, we would want someone to do the same,” commented Solano’s Robin Follin. “Once everyone was safe, we said, let’s finish properly. To win after that it means something more.”

Event details – Results – Tracker

Elapsed Time Course Records
Monohull: Rambler 88 (Juan K 88-ft) – 01d 13:41:45 – 2018
Multihull: Argo (MOD70) – 01d 05:48:45 – 2022

Source: RORC