600 miles around eleven Caribbean islands, starting and finishing in Antigua.
Launched in 2009 by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the race leaves Antigua's south coast every late February for a figure-of-eight circuit round Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba, St Martin, St Barths, Guadeloupe and the rock of Redonda. The trade winds blow on the beam on most legs, which makes it one of the fastest offshore races on the calendar. The Farr 100 Leopard 3 won overall in 2026, after the Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 in 2025.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Joost Schuijff, Leopard 3 (Farr 100) |
| 2025 | Christian Zugel, Tschüss 2 (Volvo 70) |
| 2024 | Joost Schuijff, Leopard 3 (Farr 100) |
| 2023 | Roy P. Disney, Pyewacket (Volvo 70) |
| 2022 | Christopher Sheehan, Warrior Won (Pac52) |
| 2020 | Tilmar Hansen, Outsider (TP52) |
| 2019 | David Askew, Wizard (Volvo 70) |
| 2018 | George David, Rambler 88 (Maxi) |
| 2017 | Hap Fauth, Bella Mente (JV72) |
| 2016 | George Sakellaris, Proteus (Maxi 72) |
| 2015 | Hap Fauth, Bella Mente (JV72) |
| 2014 | George Sakellaris, Shockwave (RP72) |
| 2013 | Ron O'Hanley, Privateer (Cookson 50) |
| 2012 | Niklas Zennström, Rán (JV72) |
| 2011 | George David, Rambler 100 (JK 100) |
| 2010 | Karl Kwok, Beau Geste (Farr 80) |
| 2009 | Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners (Cookson 50) |
The Royal Ocean Racing Club created the race in 2009 with the Antigua Yacht Club, on the model of its great offshore classics. It starts and finishes in Antigua, and the non-stop course rounds eleven islands of the central Caribbean, from Guadeloupe in the south to Barbuda in the north, by way of Saba, St Martin and the rock of Redonda. There was no race in 2021.
Short but demanding, the race strings together legs in the trade wind and passages in the lee of the islands, where the breeze drops and shifts. More than 500 sailors take part each year, and it counts towards the RORC championship. It follows the RORC Transatlantic Race by a few weeks: in 2025 Christian Zugel's Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 won both.
The overall prize is decided on IRC corrected time. Maxis dominate the roll of honour, from Rambler to Bella Mente and Leopard 3, but 50-footers can win too: the Cookson 50s Lee Overlay Partners in 2009 and Privateer in 2013, then Tilmar Hansen's TP52 Outsider in 2020.
The next start is scheduled for February 22, 2027 in Antigua. The date is still to be confirmed by the organiser.
The theoretical course is 600 nautical miles, starting and finishing in Antigua.
1d 5h 48m 45s, set by Jason Carroll on Argo in 2022.
Joost Schuijff on Leopard 3, in 2026.
Classes on the start line: IRC, MOCRA, IMOCA, Class40.
Every year.
Eleven islands of the central Caribbean, from Guadeloupe to Barbuda, including Saba, St Martin and the rock of Redonda. It starts and finishes in Antigua.
Just over a day for the fastest multihulls: Argo's record is 1d 5h. The smallest boats in the fleet take several days.
Yes, because the winner is decided on IRC corrected time. Two Cookson 50s have won, in 2009 and 2013, then the TP52 Outsider in 2020.
Yes. The transatlantic finishes in Antigua in January and the Caribbean 600 starts there in February, so many boats sail both. Tschüss 2 won both in 2025.
Indicative course: the actual route depends on the weather. Figures taken from the sources below.
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