Royal Ocean Racing Club

The long way home 🏁

The 50th anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race has come to a close after delivering stories right across the fleet.

Pace took the biggest prize with Monohull Line Honours and IRC Overall victory. Swift won Class40 after an incredible battle with Penfret and Gambit. Pata Negra, Sky Business - Game On and Jetpack all claimed major class wins.

But this race has always been about more than results. It has been about young sailors stepping up, Corinthian crews taking on a huge offshore challenge, broken gear, wildlife encounters, family teams, exhausted finishes, and every boat that made the long way home to Cowes.

Congratulations to all the winners, finishers and crews who made the 2026 race such a memorable one. 🌊

Full story: https://www.roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/-rorc-round-britain-and-ireland-the-long-way-home

Finishing the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race is a serious achievement in itself. 🏁

After nearly 2,000 miles around Britain and Ireland, every arrival in Cowes tells its own story: long nights, big miles, tired crews, shared relief, and the satisfaction of bringing the boat safely home. 🌊

Line honours and class wins matter, but in a race of this scale, crossing the finish line is its own kind of victory.

Congratulations to every boat and every crew who completed the course. 👏

Your Way Into Offshore Racing: Griffin Pathway 2027 🌊⛵️

Want to race offshore at a higher level, but not sure how to take the next step?

The RORC Griffin Offshore Pathway gives ambitious young sailors aged 18-30 the chance to train, race and develop through coaching, mentoring, structured preparation and real offshore racing opportunities.

You do not need a long offshore CV to apply. Griffin is looking for sailors with the attitude, commitment, teamwork and potential to make the most of the opportunity. Dinghy sailors, keelboat racers, students, club sailors and those already taking their first steps offshore can all have something to offer.

In 2026, more than 100 young sailors were involved in the Griffin Pathway, with sailors gaining experience through training weekends, RORC racing and major offshore opportunities.

Applications for the 2027 Griffin Offshore Pathway will open for two weeks after the launch webinar on 22 September 2026 at 19:00.

Register for the webinar to find out more about the programme, the commitment required and how the selection process will work 👇

https://www.rorc.org/your-way-into-offshore-racing-griffin-pathway-2027

Jetpack powers to IRC Three victory as British Soldier completes the mission 🏁

Mark Brown’s JPK 1010 Jetpack has finished the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race as provisional winner of IRC Three, after a huge lap of Britain and Ireland built on careful preparation, committed crew work and plenty of camaraderie onboard.

For Brown and the Jetpack team, the race began as an idea over a few drinks at the RORC Annual Dinner. Nearly two weeks later, they are back in Cowes with a class win from one of offshore racing’s toughest courses.

Fujitsu British Soldier has also crossed the line, completing the Army Sailing Association’s fifth campaign in the race. Skipper Will Naylor described the Round Britain and Ireland Race as “the sailors’ ultra-marathon”, and this year’s campaign delivered a proper test of teamwork, resilience and seamanship.

The crew also carried out one of the most memorable moments of the race, helping exhausted barn owl Little Regina after she landed onboard around 70 miles offshore.

From class wins to long-awaited finishes, Cowes continues to welcome tired but jubilant crews home. 🌊

Full story: https://ow.ly/k6sS50ZEX1t


📸 RORC / Trish Jenkins / James Tomlinson

Another crew safely home ⛵️🏁

Congratulations to the Army Sailing Association’s Fujitsu British Soldier, which completed the 1,805-nautical-mile lap of Britain and Ireland overnight.

Skipper Will Naylor and his crew overcame everything the course threw at them, including an early tiller repair, to complete the team’s fifth RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race.

Of course, their race also brought one very unexpected story. Around 70 miles off the East Coast, the crew rescued an exhausted barn owl from the sea and cared for her onboard until she could be safely transferred ashore. 🦉

Swipe to the final slide for the latest on Little Reg—now also known as Little Regina.

She remains very weak and emaciated, but is safely in the care of the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre, where she is receiving fluids, nutrition, warmth and plenty of rest.

Her fight continues, but she is in expert hands. 💙

Celebrations at RORC as the Long Way Home Delivers Its Stories 🥂⛵️

Over the past 24 hours, the Competitors’ Live Blog has captured the two contrasting faces of the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Exhausted crews are celebrating at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse, while those farther back continue to battle heavy seas, strong winds and the seemingly endless miles towards home.

The closest contest of the race so far came from Sky Business – Game On and Kestrel, whose 1,805-nautical-mile duel developed into an extraordinary match race between two double-handed teams.

Kestrel crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line at 02:10:15 BST on Friday, just 45 seconds ahead of Sky Business – Game On. However, Ian Hoddle and Willow Bland’s slightly lower IRC rating moved Game On ahead after time correction, provisionally securing both IRC Two and IRC Two-Handed.

Simon Bamford and Zeb Fellows took provisional second place in both divisions. Remarkably, the two boats are also provisionally third and fourth overall under IRC. Sam White and Nathan Steffenoni’s Mzungu! completed the provisional IRC Two-Handed podium after finishing shortly before 06:00.

Full story: https://ow.ly/n36z50ZCux3

Day 12: Rush Hour, Match Racing and Little Regina 🦉❤️

Sam Hall's Lombard 46 Pata Negra completed the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race in the early hours of Thursday morning, provisionally winning IRC One after a compelling race-long battle with Challenge Ocean.

Pata Negra completed the 1,805-nautical-mile course in 10 days, 11 hours, 36 minutes and 48 seconds. Valdo Dhoyer's French Volvo 60 Challenge Ocean followed in an elapsed time of 10 days, 11 hours, 50 minutes and 29 seconds, just 13 minutes and 41 seconds behind.

Rush hour is now approaching Cowes, with numerous teams expected to finish throughout today, Thursday 20 August and into the night. Two Sun Fast 3300s are locked in a battle for both the IRC Two and IRC Two-Handed title, while extraordinary stories continue to arrive from the fleet through the Competitors' Live Blog.

Pata Negra needs little introduction to followers of RORC racing. The team has finished on the podium in the RORC Transatlantic Race, RORC Caribbean 600 and numerous races in the RORC Season's Points Championship. The boat won the race overall in 2018. However, this was the first RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race for the Lombard 46 under the stewardship of Andrew and Sam Hall.

Full story: https://rorc.org/day-12-rush-hour-match-racing-and-little-regina