RORC Transatlantic Race 2026 – Four Offshore Thoroughbreds, One 3,000-Mile Atlantic Epic
This race is never simply about the fastest boat. It is about average speed, reliability, mental stamina, and the ability to keep a boat moving when the ocean tries its hardest to slow you down. And in this edition, four standout offshore machines have emerged as the early favourites for the coveted RORC Transatlantic Race Trophy under IRC:
NeoJivaro – Neo 430 – Yves Grosjean
Ino Noir – Carkeek 45 – James Neville
Maxitude – Lift 45 – Xavier & Alexandre Bellouard
Palanad 4 – Manuard 50 – Antoine Magre
Together, they represent the cutting edge of offshore yacht design: scow-bowed rockets, feather-light carbon platforms, and crews built to endure the Atlantic’s moods — from light-air drift battles to full-bore surfing in the trades.
NeoJivaro – The Lightweight Rocket Returns
For Yves Grosjean, simply reaching the start line carries personal weight after injury ruled him out in 2025. Now, finally, NeoJivaro gets her chance.
The 6-ton Neo 430, drawn by Giovanni Ceccarelli, is built around acceleration: powerful hull form, broad stern sections, and the ability to hold sustained bursts over 25 knots — topping out at 28 knots in training.
But Grosjean knows ocean races aren’t won at top speed.
“Human endurance is as important as boat speed. Recuperation, nutrition, even choosing the right mattress for the bunks — every detail matters over 3,000 miles.”
NeoJivaro arrives armed with serious pace, scientific preparation, and a crew intent on proving that a lightweight design can dominate the Atlantic under IRC.
Ino Noir – The Black Arrow Hunts for Redemption
James Neville is a familiar face at the sharp end of offshore racing, and Ino Noir’s third place in the previous edition remains unfinished business.
Refined after a year of reliability challenges, the Carkeek 45 returns with lessons burned deep into her carbon frames. Neville’s philosophy? Offshore success isn’t about the peaks — it’s about the troughs.
“The slowest speed matters more than the fastest. Momentum wins this race.”
Ino Noir sails with a predominantly British crew once again, strengthened by the addition of renowned navigator Juan Vila. Together, they aim to keep the boat in her “sweet spot”, resisting damage, managing chafe, and maintaining punishing averages without over-pushing.
If discipline wins the Transatlantic, Ino Noir is deadly.
Maxitude – The Scow-Bow Challenger with a Family Soul
Xavier and Alexandre Bellouard bring one of the most talked-about new designs to the starting line: the Lift 45 Maxitude, penned by Marc Lombard.
Wide, powerful, and unapologetically modern, Maxitude carries the same forward-volume scow philosophy that has reshaped the IMOCA and Class40 worlds.
“People will be watching us closely,” Xavier laughs. “The Fastnet opened a few eyes.”
Yet Maxitude’s story is also personal: a father-and-son team chasing adventure, innovation, and — when the race is over — the ability to cruise with family in comfort.
Whether the offshore world is ready to crown a scow-bow 45-footer the winner of a 3,000-mile IRC epic remains to be seen, but the Bellouards arrive hungry.
Palanad 4 – The Newest Weapon from the Masters of Speed
The only 50-footer in the leading group, Palanad 4 carries serious pedigree. Her predecessor, Palanad 3, won the 2021 race and set the IRC record for the Lanzarote–Antigua course.
Designed by Sam Manuard, she’s a stripped-back, purpose-built ocean machine with a powerful scow bow, minimalist cockpit, and relentless focus on speed.
Skipper Antoine Magre is clear about intent:
“We want to go as fast as possible. The question is: can we maintain 100% efficiency for 3,000 miles?”
A predominantly French offshore crew, with Swiss sailor Simon Koster and Spaniard Pablo Santurde, has spent autumn fine-tuning performance data, refining polars, and preparing Palanad 4 like a scientific expedition.
If design evolution wins the race, Palanad 4 may be the boat to beat.
What Really Wins the RORC Transatlantic Race?
Interestingly, despite radically different boats, all four skippers repeat the same mantra:
“Your slowest speed decides your race.”
Not the flashiest surf. Not the photo-friendly 25-knot foaming wake.
Winners are made when:
the wind dies
the boat slams into a wave
fatigue dulls concentration
chafe threatens your most crucial sail
a squall hits at 3am
the mind wants to ease off
Each team has prepared for this in its own way:
NeoJivaro: sleep science and crew endurance
Ino Noir: durability, diagnostics, damage prevention
Maxitude: refining trimming limits on the scow bow
Palanad 4: analytics and performance modelling
Winning under IRC requires sustained average speeds — always pushing, never dropping.
The Human Heart of the Race
Beyond polars and hull shapes, every skipper carries emotional ballast.
Grosjean races for “collective intelligence” and a personal connection to Afazik Impulse, a project supporting people with cognitive disabilities.
Neville seeks to prove a season of setbacks has meaning.
The Bellouards race for joy, innovation, and a unique shared journey.
Magre races to validate a new design era in offshore sailing.
These deeper motivations are often the hidden gears turning beneath a winning campaign.
A Battle of Brilliance Awaits
Four boats. Four philosophies. One unforgiving ocean.
Each believes — realistically — that they can win. And each has the tools to do it.
The 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race
run in association with the International Maxi Association and Yacht Club de France, will start from Marina Lanzarote on 11 January 2026.
Whatever happens next, this edition promises one of the most tightly contested, technically fascinating, and emotionally charged battles ever seen in the Atlantic arena.