Starting on the 24 February, the 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 has attracted over 70 boats, racing with the RORC, supported by the Antigua YC.
The Caribbean’s major offshore race is preceded by the inshore regatta, the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series, which runs from the 18-21 February. Over 20 teams are expected, including a record seven Maxis, with a fleet of 24 boats in the 48NM Antigua 360 Race.
The RORC Caribbean 600 offshore race starts three days after the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series. The non-stop 600NM race around 11 stunning Caribbean islands is famous for its challenging conditions, unpredictable tactical battles and high-speed thrills.
IRC Super Zero features a cast of 11 Maxis. Returning to defend their titles for both Monohull Line Honours and the overall win under IRC is the Farr 100 Leopard 3 (MON), skippered by Joost Schuijff.
Leopard’s sweet spot is off the breeze in 15-20 knots of wind, anything over that and the Volvo 70s and Bryon Ehrhart’s Juan K 88 Lucky (USA) are hard to keep in check . . . Lucky just set a new race record in the RORC Transatlantic Race,
Past champions racing this year include Roy P. Disney’s Pyewacket 70 (USA). The turbo-charged Volvo 70 won the race in 2023, but this time, Disney himself will be on board, backed-up by a crew stacked with offshore racing legends.
Christian Zugel’s Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, will also be racing and was in fine form winning the 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race overall under IRC.
One of the tightest battles in 2024 was in the highly competitive IRC Zero class, where Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán (SWE) secured victory by a razor-thin margin of three minutes after time correction.
Rán’s rivals for both the IRC Zero and overall win are not in short supply. Frederic Puzin’s newly launched Carkeek 54 Daguet 6 (FRA) is an absolute weapon.
Jon Desmond’s PAC52 Final Final (USA) was the overall race winner as Warrior Won in 2022, and James Neville’s Carkeek 45 Ino Noir (GBR) was a class winner in the 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race. Andrew Berdon’s new boat is the JV52 Summer Storm (USA), as Outsider, the boat was the overall winner in 2020.
The ten-strong multihull fleet features three ORC 50s and this year’s largest multihull, ORC 57 Avel Vaez (FRA), skippered by Yves Nerisson.
With the absence of the MOD70s, Multihull Line Honours is wide open this year. All of the Ocean 50s are capable of taking the winner’s gun, as well as Marc Guillemot’s MG5 Wellness Training (FRA), which was third in class for the 2022 Route du Rhum.
Read more here . . . https://www.rorc.org
The 2025 RORC Caribbean 600 is part of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s extensive centenary programme, celebrating 100 years of racing. Established in 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) celebrates its centenary in 2025.
It is best known for the biennial Fastnet Race and the international team event, the Admiral’s Cup. Both of these prestigious events will be run in 2025.
Louay Habib/RORC
