Caribbean 600: It’s a wrap

The 2025 RORC Caribbean 600 marked its 16th edition with a spectacular display of offshore racing prowess, attracting a diverse fleet of 66 boats from 32 countries. The race is renowned for its challenging 600-nautical-mile course around 11 islands and providing Caribbean racing in the depth of the northern hemisphere’s winter months.

The race started from Fort Charlotte, Antigua, with all five starts executed flawlessly by the RORC Race Team assisted by the Antigua Yacht Club. The diverse fleet launched into the ultimate offshore tropical challenge with a sunshine beat up to Green Island. The favorable conditions at the start set a positive tone, but this was nothing short of a grueling race, especially for the long leg from St Barths to Guadeloupe.

The Juan K 88 Lucky, skippered by Bryon Ehrhart, clinched Monohull Line Honours with an impressive performance in an elapsed time of 1 day 17 hours 14 minutes and 12 seconds. Lucky is on a winning streak, having claimed Monohull Line Honours and set a new race record for the RORC Transatlantic Race this January.

Christian Zugel Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt emerged as the overall winner under IRC, winning the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy. The victory is a testament to the crew’s amazing abilities but also exceptional teamwork and relentless dedication to performance.

The IRC Super Zero class showcased a fierce yet friendly rivalry among some of the world’s fastest offshore monohulls. Teams demonstrated exceptional boat handling on a course that weaves day and night through islands and rocky outcrops. Tschüss 2 was the winner of IRC Super Zero Class after time correction. Second was Mills 72 Balthasar with Louis Balcaen at the helm. George Procopiou’s Volvo 70 Aiolos took third after IRC time correction by less than an hour from Balthasar.

The IRC Zero class was exceptional this year with top contenders from Europe and the United States, but in the end Niklas Zennstrom’s Carkeek 52 Rán put in a superb performance to win the class for the third year running. Rán pulled out all the stops on the final leg to win IRC Zero by just 8 minutes and 7 Seconds after IRC time correction from Frederic Puzin’s Carkeek 54 Daguet 5. Jon Desmond’s PAC52 Final Final took third.

The competition was intense, with teams pushing their limits to harness every advantage. The challenging conditions tested their resilience and their performances were a testament to meticulous preparation, unwavering determination and a world class level of racing.

The multihull battle came to a conclusion with Marc Guillemot’s MG5 Wellness Training taking Multihull Line Honours in an elapsed time of 2 Days 7 hrs 51 Mins 17 secs. Thomas Kassberg’s ORC 50 Malolo was just over 20 minutes behind, but after MOCRA time correction was the winner of the Multihull Class. In essence, honours were shared between the two teams, and a beer afterwards.

Philippe Frantz’s NM43 Albator secured first place in IRC One with an elapsed time of 2 days 22 hours 44 minutes and 33 seconds ahead of Richardson & Sheehan’s Class40 Tquila. Andrew & Sam Hall’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra out in a strong finish to come third, just a whisker behind Tquila after time correction. The victory marked Albator‘s second IRC One class win in the RORC Caribbean 600. The defining moment in the race came at Guadeloupe, underscoring a deep understanding of one of the race’s most notorious wind traps.

Elan 450 Team Scarlet on Emily, skippered by Ross Applebey, won the IRC Two class after IRC time correction. Applebey’s ninth class victory in the RORC Caribbean 600 highlights his strategic prowess and the crew’s solid adaptability, particularly when racing a new boat. The two other podium places were decided by a full-on battle for IRC Two Line Honours between two J/122s. Peter Dunlop & Victoria Cox, racing Mojito and El Ocaso skippered by Nikki Henderson with a charter crew from 59 North. After IRC time correction Mojito was second and El Ocaso third.

The 2025 edition attracted over 600 sailors from six continents, highlighting the race’s global appeal. This diverse representation fostered a rich exchange of sailing culture and competition rarely achieved in any other race, bar the Rolex Fastnet Race.

At the Prizegiving held at the Antigua Yacht Club, RORC Commodore Deb Fish, who had been competing in the RORC Caribbean 600 for the third time, welcomed sailors to the awards ceremony. “The RORC Caribbean 600 is all about teamwork, camaraderie and making memories that last a lifetime,” commented Deb Fish, whose special mention for Matic Vrecko, skipper of the Slovenian Elan 450 Karpo, raised loud applause.

“Karpo are here racing as the first ever Slovenian entry and Matic sailed the boat here solo across the Atlantic; that’s something every sailor admires. Yet again the RORC Caribbean 600 lived up to its reputation for the best racing around this amazing course, in perfect trade winds and the best parties.”

While the RORC Caribbean 600 is nowhere near as big a race as the Rolex Fastnet Race, which celebrates it’s 100th birthday this July, with a fleet of over 400 boats, the boutique size of the RORC Caribbean 600 fleet allows an army of volunteers to welcome every sailor home.

“The RORC Caribbean 600 would not happen without the amazing support of the Antiguan volunteers,” commented Race Director Steve Cole. “The competing boats are always appreciative of the cold beers delivered with a warm smile to all the finishers no matter if it’s day or night – now that is truly special.”

RORC CEO Jeremy Wilton commented, “The 16th edition of the RORC C600 has been a great success, with a different set of challenging conditions than usual, but once again the race has proved to be unique and it is firmly embedded as one of the classic 600 milers. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Antigua next year for the 17th edition of Caribbean’s longest and biggest offshore race.”

The 17th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 will start on 23rd of February, 2026 and will be proceeded by the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series.

Event information – Race details – Entry list – Tracker – Results

THE RORC CARIBBEAN 600 SERIES:
• The 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on February 24, 2025. The 600nm course circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte at English Harbour and heads north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth’s

• Before the epic 600-mile offshore challenge of the RORC Caribbean 600, sailors will set their sights on the third edition of the RORC Nelson’s Cup Series, which is now a stand-alone event with its own prizegiving. Combining inshore races with the exhilarating 360° Round Antigua Race, the Nelson’s Cup Series promises intense action on the water, camaraderie ashore and is open to boats that are not competing in the RORC Caribbean 600.

RORC Caribbean 600 Records
• Multihull Record: 01 days 05 hrs 48 mins 45 secs in 2022 by MOD70 Argo (Jason Carroll)
• Monohull Record: 01 days 13 hrs 41 mins 45 secs in 2018 by Rambler 88 (George David)
• IRC Corrected Record: 03 days 10 hrs 09 mins 41 secs in 2022 by Pac52 Warrior Won (Christopher Sheehan)

RORC CARIBBEAN 600 – PAST IRC OVERALL WINNERS:
2024 – Joost Schuijff, Farr100, Leopard 3 (MON)
2023 – Roy P. Disney, Volvo 70, Pyewacket (USA)
2022 – Christopher Sheehan, Warrior Won, Pac52 (USA)
2020 – Tilmar Hansen, Outsider, TP52 (GER)
2019 – David and Peter Askew, Wizard, Volvo 70 (USA)
2018 – George David, Rambler 88, Maxi (USA)
2017 – Hap Fauth, Bella Mente, JV72 (USA)
2016 – George Sakellaris, Maxi 72, Proteus (USA)
2015 – Hap Fauth, JV72, Bella Mente (USA)
2014 – George Sakellaris, RP72, Shockwave (USA)
2013 – Ron O’Hanley, Privateer, Cookson 50 (USA)
2012 – Niklas Zennström’s JV72, Rán (GBR)
2011 – George David, Rambler 100, JK 100 (USA)
2010 – Karl C L Kwok, Beau Geste, Farr 80 (HKG)
2009 – Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners, Cookson 50 (IRL)