Its starts on Saturday 26 July 2025 Veterans of the last two Rolex Fastnet Races are checking the weather with cautious optimism. After two editions that opened with 30-knot headwinds and a battering Channel slog, the long-range forecast for this centenary running looks — dare we say it — gentle.

With just under a week left to run, the 2025 Transpac fleet is officially past halfway, surfing westward across the Pacific towards Honolulu’s Diamond Head. After setting off in staggered starts on July 1, 3, and 5, 53 yachts of every style and strategy—ranging from 35 to 88 feet—have now picked up the trades, leaving behind fickle calms and early retirements (four boats have dropped out). The leaderboard is starting to shape up, but the race is far from over.

Some people drift into sailing. Rachel Mcguigan charged in—eyes up, hands on, no time to waste. When she first spoke to Leo Cantwell, skipper of Aileron, he asked her straight: “What do you want to learn?” Her answer was clear and fearless: “I want to do a helming course. I want to learn bow. I want it all. I’m not mucking about.” And she wasn’t. Leo took her seriously—and from that moment, things started moving.

The 20 biggest, fastest boats racing in the 2025 Transpac began their offshore sprint from Los Angeles, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, today. Ranging in length from 51 to 88 feet, these boats are competing in four divisions and also aiming to win the race’s two most prestigious prizes. The Barn Door Trophy honours the boat with the fastest elapsed time across the 2,225 nautical mile racecourse, while the King Kalakaua Trophy is awarded to the team that posts the fastest corrected time using the Offshore Racing Rule handicap system.

The 16 boats that crossed the starting line today in the 2025 Transpac are up against the challenge of a lifetime. As the smallest yachts in this year’s 53-strong fleet, they are about to endure the greatest number of difficult days at sea, but they also have the greatest—and longest—opportunity to enjoy the splendours of sailing across the Pacific. After all, the more time one spends at sea, the more exposure one has to its moods and its majesty.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has long acknowledged the slow but steady path toward gender inclusion in offshore sailing. For the forthcoming Admiral’s Cup, every boat must have at least one woman, as well as another sailor under 27. The goal is to expand access, broaden the talent pool, and create a more diverse and vibrant racing community.