SPECTACULAR START IN PARADISE Tuesday 25th February 2025
Spectacular Start in Paradise - 2025 RORC Caribbean 600 © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
The highly anticipated 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 blasted off from Fort Charlotte, Antigua, right on schedule. All five starts went off flawlessly as the diverse fleet of 66 international entries launched into the ultimate offshore tropical challenge, an exhilarating race weaving through 11 stunning Caribbean islands.
With the trade winds pumping over 16 knots from just south of east and gusting up to 20 knots, the stage was set for a spectacular showdown in paradise.
First away was IRC Two with several boats making a great start. Ross Applebey, skipper of Elan 450 Team Scarlet on Emily was closest to the line at the pin end. Also, Cox & Dunlop’s Mojito started well, also Bluejay of Portsmouth, skippered by Boorman & van der Zuden. The IRC One start featured good getaways from Bob Manchester’s Vamoose, Warthog skippered by Jules Mitchell, and Spirit of Helsinki, skippered by Jouko Kallio.
Team Scarlet on Emily of Cowes © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
IRC One Start © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Victoria Cox & Peter Dunlop’s Mojito in IRC Two © Arthur Daniel
In the IRC Zero, competition for room at the line produced super fine margins. Three abreast through the line were Jon Desmond’s Final Final, Niklas Zennstrom’s Rán and Jean Philippe Blanpain’s Leaps and Bounds 2. James Neville’s Ino Noir took a line inshore and under the leading three boats. All four boats both took their line right under the cliffs for breeze bend and acceleration, giving the throngs of spectators an exciting spectacle.
Rán, Leaps and Bounds 2 & Final Final in IRC Zero © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Ino Noir © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Final Final © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
The IRC Super Zero start was just as competitive as the previous. Balthasar with Louis Balcean at the helm, just held off Christian Zugel’s Tschuss 2 to windward. Andrea Recordati’s Bullitt put the bow down to leeward of Balthasar and was going like a train. All three were heading right into the cliffs. Tschuss 2 was the first to tack, ducking Bryon Ehrhardt’s Lucky and Leopard 3 with Joost Schuijff at the helm. Unfortunately, just a few hours into the race, Andrea Recordati’s Bullitt has retired with an engine issue. All crew are safe and well.
Balthasar and Leopard 3 © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Tschuss 2 © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Bullitt © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
The Multihulls brought the RORC Caribbean 600 starting schedule to a conclusion. Eight multihulls chose to line up at the pin end to reach down the line on starboard prior to the gun. Guy Chester’s Oceans Tribute pulled off the best start of the pack. However, Marc Guillemot’s Wellness Training started on port, the only boat in the entire starting sequence to do so. The port-flyer worked a charm as Wellness Training crossed the entire multihull fleet to score first bragging rights.
Oceans Tribute and Wellness Training © Arthur Daniel
Ocean 50 Malolo © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
At 14:30 AST on the first day of the race, Bryon Ehrhardt’s Juan K 88 Lucky had rounded the mark at Barbuda and was leading on the water, four miles ahead of Roy P Disney’s Pyewacket 70 and Leopard 3. All three boats are recording speeds of over 20 knots on a screaming reach towards Nevis, no doubt with a torrent of white water washing down the deck.
Duncan Gladman’s Ocean 50 Malolo was leading the Multihull fleet on the water less than a mile ahead of Guillemot’s Wellness Training. Tavio & Nordstrom’s Ocean 50 Calamity was four miles behind in third.
Analysing the IRC ranking this early in the race is too early. However class leaders on the water are Lucky, Daguet 5, Alister Richardson’s Class 40 Tquila, Team Scarlet on Emily and Rodolphe Sepho’s Class 40 Reve de Lare 5.
Bryon Ehrhardt’s Juan K 88 Lucky © Tim Wright/Photoaction.com
Follow the RORC Caribbean 600 via the official website for the latest pictures and videos of the action including the competitors’ live blog. All of the boats can be tracked via the race player. www.caribbean600.rorc.org
For more stunning pictures from the start of the 2025 RORc Caribbean 600 visit the gallery HERE.
ENDS/...Louay Habib/RORC
Re-watch the livestream from the start HERE
Entries: HERE
Live Race Updates: Live Race Updates on RORC Facebook and YouTube on Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 February. With pundit analysis and overview of the positions within the fleet.
Live Blog: Check out the Live Blog button on the website. https://caribbean600.rorc.org/live-blog-02-2025.
Videos: RORC YouTube: https://youtu.be/Go6z67SSDAA
Social Media: We will be active on all our social media channels so follow us:-
#Caribbean600 @RORCracing
Facebook: www.facebook.com/royaloceanracingclub
Instagram: instagram.com/rorcracing
YouTube: www.youtube.com/rorcracing
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rorcracing
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rorcracing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/royaloceanracingclub
Media Requests: Trish Jenkins - Press Officer - press@rorc.org +44 (0)7880 518689 (WhatsApp)
High Res Images: https://gallery.rorc.org/index?/category/1569-2025_royal_ocean_racing_club
Login: press. Password: PressAccr. (NB: case sensitive). Select 'Original' to download high res. Credit photographer.
Notes to Editors:
RORC Race Enquiries:
Royal Ocean Racing Club
T: +44 (0)1983 295144
E: racing@rorc.org
W: http://www.rorc.org
Trish Jenkins
Press Officer
E: press@rorc.org
M: +44 (0)7880 518689
RORC Caribbean 600:
RORC Caribbean 600 website: http://caribbean600.rorc.org
The 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 starts on 24th February 2024. The 600NM course circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte, English Harbour, Antigua and heads north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth's
RACE DATES: RORC Nelson's Cup Series - Tuesday 18th-Friday 21st February 2025, Antigua 360 - Friday 21st February 2025 RORC Caribbean 600 - Monday 24th February 2025
#Caribbean600 @RORCracing
Past Winners:
RORC CARIBBEAN 600 TROPHY - IRC OVERALL: (Best corrected time under IRC)
2024 - Joost Schuijff, Farr 100 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)
THE ROYAL OCEAN RACING CLUB:
Established in 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) celebrates its centenary in 2025. It is best known for the biennial Fastnet Race and the international team event, the Admiral's Cup. Both of these prestigious events will be run in 2025
RORC organises an annual series of offshore races from its base in Cowes. The RORC Season's Points Championship is the world's largest offshore racing series attracting over 7,000 international sailors in a Rolex Fastnet year. The RORC also organises inshore regattas in the Solent
The RORC works with other yacht clubs to promote their offshore races and provides marketing and organisational support. With the first race in 2009, the Antigua-based RORC Caribbean 600 - the first offshore race in the Caribbean - has been an instant success. The RORC extended its organisational expertise by creating the RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada, the first of which was in November 2014. The Roschier Baltic Sea Race was established in 2022 starting and finishing in Helsinki, Finland
The RORC has 4,000 members, with a majestic clubhouse based in St James' Place, London SW1 and a superb clubhouse on the Isle of Wight at the entrance to Cowes Harbour
RORC website: www.rorc.org
@RORCracing
IRC RATING:
The RORC has also been a leader in yacht rating systems and in co-operation with the French offshore racing club, UNCL, YCF Race Pole, created the International Rating Certificate - IRC. IRC is a World Sailing recognised rating system and the principal yacht measurement system for the rating of racing yachts worldwide
The IRC rating rule is administered jointly by the RORC Rating Office in Lymington, UK and UNCL, YCF Race Pole in Paris, France.
The RORC Rating Office is the technical hub of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and recognised globally as a centre of excellence for measurement.
For IRC rating information in the UK please see: www.rorcrating.com and for IRC rating globally www.ircrating.org
@RORCrating @IRCrating
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