The 2026 RORC Round Britain & Ireland Race
One of offshore sailing’s greatest odysseys is back. The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has officially released the Notice of Race for the 50th Anniversary edition of the Round Britain & Ireland Race, confirming that the 1,805-nautical-mile epic will set sail from Cowes, Isle of Wight, on Sunday, 9 August 2026.
Online entry opens 3 November 2025, inviting an international fleet of monohulls racing under IRC, multihulls, IMOCA 60s, and Class40 one-designs to take on one of the most demanding offshore courses in the world.
Half a century since its inaugural running in 1976, the Round Britain & Ireland remains the Everest of British ocean racing — a test of endurance, strategy, and raw seamanship that has forged legends for five decades.
A Course That Defines Offshore Racing
The RORC Round Britain & Ireland Race is as brutal as it is beautiful. Spanning 1,805 nautical miles, the race circumnavigates the entire British Isles, leaving every headland, rock, and island — including the windswept Muckle Flugga at the northern tip of Shetland — to starboard.
Starting and finishing in Cowes, the route is a gauntlet of shifting weather systems, relentless tides, and narrow gates. Crews battle the Atlantic rollers off Ireland, the unpredictable North Sea, and the swirling eddies around the Channel’s iconic headlands — Land’s End, St Kilda, Fair Isle, and more.
Few offshore challenges combine this scale and complexity. From high-speed surfing off the west coast of Ireland to the bone-chilling fogs of the North Sea, every mile of the race demands endurance, precision, and nerves of steel.
Fifty Years of Offshore Legend
The 2026 edition marks 50 years since the race’s creation — and half a century of daring campaigns that have defined the modern era of offshore competition.
First run in 1976, the Round Britain & Ireland Race has become a proving ground for both professional teams and Corinthian crews alike. It’s seen record-breaking multihulls, Olympic heroes, and determined double-handers take on the same wild, unpredictable course — united by the spirit of adventure that defines offshore sailing.
The current overall and outright record stands with Oman Sail – Musandam, the MOD70 trimaran skippered by Sidney Gavignet, who in 2014 completed the course in 3 days, 3 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds. That benchmark still stands today — a breathtaking standard of speed and precision few have come close to matching.
Back in 2014, Ian Walker and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s VO65 Azzam set the monohull record at 4 days, 13 hours, 10 minutes, 28 seconds — a performance that echoed all the way to their Volvo Ocean Race victory the following year.
“The opening 48 hours were brutal,” Walker recalled. “We were battered, blistered, and running on adrenaline. But the final twelve hours were even tougher — a drifting duel in dying breeze, knowing every inch counted. We didn’t tack once until the Solent — racing anti-clockwise because of an Atlantic storm. That race was extraordinary from start to finish.”
Richard Palmer – “The Pinnacle of Offshore Racing”
In 2022, Richard Palmer’s JPK 1010 Jangada, sailing double-handed with Rupert Holmes, claimed overall victory under IRC. “Just a full-on race with absolutely no let-up,” Palmer said. “You’re constantly on edge, mentally exhausted but completely alive. There’s nothing else like it. It’s the ultimate offshore test — tidal gates, weather systems, headlands — this race throws everything at you.”
RORC Looks Ahead to a Historic Start
RORC Racing Manager Steve Cole summed up the anticipation perfectly:
“The Round Britain & Ireland Race is one of the ultimate tests in offshore sailing. Its combination of coastal and ocean legs makes it unpredictable, tactical, and unforgettable. With the Notice of Race now out, we’re expecting a truly world-class fleet in 2026.”
The race is part of the RORC Season’s Points Championship, ensuring a mix of seasoned campaigners and new faces at the line — from fully-crewed maxis to adventurous two-handers, each with their own story to tell.
A Farewell to Sevenstar — and a Call for New Partners
Since 2006, the race has proudly carried the Sevenstar Yacht Transport title sponsorship, whose support has been instrumental in keeping this iconic challenge alive and thriving. That long and successful partnership has now run its course, and RORC is inviting new sponsors and partners to join the race’s next chapter.
For brands seeking to align with one of sailing’s most authentic, heroic events — one that combines heritage, endurance, and media reach — 2026 offers a rare opportunity.
How to Enter and Follow the Race
Online Entry Opens: 3 November 2025
Official Website: www.roundbritainandireland.rorc.org
Start Date: Sunday, 9 August 2026 – Cowes, Isle of Wight
Course Length: 1,805 nautical miles
Eligibility: IRC Monohulls (Overall Trophy), Multihulls, IMOCA, Class40, and Double-Handed
Governing Rules: CAT 1 World Sailing Offshore Safety Requirements + Offshore Communications standards
A Race Like No Other
The RORC Round Britain & Ireland Race is more than a competition — it’s a voyage through the soul of offshore sailing. It’s about the smell of salt spray at 3am, the whine of the winches, the constant hum of the keel through dark Atlantic waters. It’s the exhaustion, the exhilaration, and the quiet pride of rounding Muckle Flugga under a silver moon.
For fifty years, this race has defined the spirit of adventure. In August 2026, that legacy continues.