Tropical heat, moderate trade winds and ocean swell provided superb racing conditions for the first day and night of action in the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600.

The 13^th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started on time from Antigua on Monday 21 February. The IRC Super Zero start was nothing short of hell-raising, with Comanche reaching at full speed towards the Pillars of Hercules, then hardening up to take the inside line perilously close to the cliffs. VO65 Groovederci Racing - Sailing Poland, sailed by Deneen Demourkas was in close quarters. As the two leaders tacked out, they crossed with the massive ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON) and the Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze coming inshore on starboard.  In the MOCRA start, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) flipped a wheelie on final approach before blasting off into the lead in a ball of spray at over 25 knots.

Seventy-four teams with over 700 sailors from 32 countries started the race. The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands had a spectacular start with 15 knots of wind from the northeast gusting up to 20 knots.

_{The mighty Skorpios, Leopard and Comanche in IRC Super Zero © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com/}

Fleet Snapshot: DAY 1 - 1500 AST 21 February

Four hours into the race, Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) was leading the Multihull Class from Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA). In the race for Monohull Line Honours, the leader by just a mile, was Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, skippered by Fernando Echavarri. The VPLP/Verdier 100 Comanche, skippered by Mitch Booth was second on the water. With just over two hours to go until the first sunset of the race, the majority of the fleet were making good progress to Barbuda, the first and only mark of the course.

“The start was just incredible, it’s rare to see so many big boats in a start like that, just taking it on, but it was not just the big boats. This fleet is stacked right through all the classes, with competitive starts the whole way through. Good luck to all the teams,” commented Race Director Chris Stone. “Making sure the fleet get away to a good start is the first part of this stage of the race management. We continue to focus on the safety aspects out on the race course. There will be different weather conditions and some parts of the course are pretty treacherous. For the RORC Race team it is about keeping the fleet safe, with 24-hour monitoring for every boat.”

_{Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) and Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) © Arthur Daniel/RORC}

_{A record MOCRA fleet - Gilles Lamire's Groupe GCA-1001 Sourires and Antoine Rabaste's Ultim'Emotion 2 © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com} 

IRC ONE and IRC TWO START

Yuri Fadeev’s First 40 Optimus Prime (GBR) nailed the inshore end of the line, closely followed by Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR). Bernie Evan-Wong’s RP37 Taz (ANT) also had a great start. Stuart Dahlgreen racing J/121 Wings (USA) was OCS by just five seconds, but restarted correctly.

Four hours into the race, Tom Kneen’s JPK 1180 Sunrise (GBR) and Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader (GBR) were neck-and neck at the front or IRC One. Just a mile behind the leaders, Andrew Hall’s Lombard 46 Pata Negra (GBR) was going well. In IRC Two, two old rivals were battling for the lead on the water: Andy Middleton’s First 47.7 EH01 (GBR) and Scarlet Oyster. Pamala Baldwin’s J/122 Liquid (ANT), skippered by Julian White was just three miles behind the leaders.

_{Start of IRC 1, IRC 2 and CSAS only © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com}

_{Peter Lewis' J/122 Whistler from Barbados was among the first start with boats racing in IRC 1 and IRC 2 © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com}

IRC ZERO and Class40 START

Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won (USA) totally nailed the start, ripping over the line at full pace towards the lifting pressure. David Collins’ Botin IRC 52 Tala (GBR) was second over the line. On her hip with a good controlling position was Jean Pierre Dreau’s Mylius 60 Lady First 3 (FRA). In the Class40 Division, Herve Thomas’ Finnimo (FRA) got the best start, staying out of the melee inshore. Baptiste Hulin & Clement Commagnac’s Rennes - Saint Malo (FRA) and Marc Lepesqueux’s Sensation Class40 Extreme (FRA) tucked right in under the cliffs and crossed the line in good shape.

Four hours into the race, Warrior Won (USA) was leading on the water, two miles astern was their Pac52 sistership Callisto (USA) sailed by Jim Murray and Tala (GBR). In the Class40 Division, Finnimo held a one-mile lead from Charles-Louis Mourruau’s Guidi (FRA). Sensation Class40 Extreme was third on the water.

 _{Charles-Louis Mourruau's Class40 Guidi and Adrian Lee's Swan 60 Lee Overlay Partners © © Rick Tomlinson/https://www.rick-tomlinson.com/}

_{Christopher Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won (USA) totally nailed the start © Tim Wright/Photoaction,com}

Watch a replay of the livestream of every start of the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600

LINK: https://youtu.be/o2HBfIjYWTA

The 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started on time from Antigua on Monday 21 February.

The IRC Super Zero start was nothing short of hell-raising, with Comanche reaching at full speed towards the Pillars of Hercules, then hardening up to take the inside line perilously close to the cliffs. VO65 Groovederci Racing - Sailing Poland, sailed by Deneen Demourkas was in close quarters. As the two leaders tacked out, they crossed with the massive ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON) and the Volvo 70 Ocean Breeze coming inshore on starboard.

In the MOCRA start, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay (CAY) flipped a wheelie on final approach before blasting off into the lead in a ball of spray at over 25 knots.

Seventy-four teams with over 700 sailors from 32 countries started the race. The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 600-mile race around 11 Caribbean islands had a spectacular start with 15 knots of wind from the northeast gusting up to 20 knots.

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Live from Fort Charlotte, Antigua

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Michael Hennessy’s Dragon (USA) is arguably the most successful American Class40 skipper having won the Bermuda One-Two, the Miami to Havana and the Marblehead to Halifax races. He will be racing Two-Handed with Cole Brauer.

Charles-Louis Mourruau’s Guidi is one of the latest Class40 designs in the race. The Sam Manuard designed Mach40.3 was commissioned in 2018. Charles-Louis is no stranger to RORC racing having competed in the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race and the Rolex Fastnet Race.

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A dozen teams will be competing in IRC Two. Ross Applebey’s Oyster 48 Scarlet Oyster (GBR) has won class at the RORC Caribbean 600 a record six times.

Carlo Falcone’s legendary Caccia Alla Volpe, skippered by Carlo’s son Rocco, with sister Shirley in an all-Antiguan crew. America’s Cup winner Shannon Falcone will be on Comanche for the race. Caccia Alla Volpe was Shannon’s first home when he sailed to Antigua as a child with his parents.

Christopher Daniel's British J/121 Juno, racing for the first time in the RORC Caribbean 600, will be close competition.

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Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios (MON), sailed by Fernando Echavarri, and the VPLP/Verdier 100 Comanche (CAY) skippered by Mitch Booth are favourites for Monohull Line Honours. Both Maxis are very capable of beating the Monohull Race Record set in 2018 by George David’s Rambler 88 (37 hours, 41 minutes, 45 seconds).

The fastest on IRC Rating is the Volvo 70 L4 Trifork (DEN) sailed by Jens Dolmer, with Joern Larsen at the helm. Tactician Bouwe Bekking commented that L4 Trifork’s primary goal is to be the first Volvo 70 to finish the race. Competition in the Volvo 70s will come from Johannes Schwarz’s Ocean Breeze with a crew from the Yacht Club Sopot in Poland and Il Mostro (CAN) skippered by Gilles Barbot of Atlas Ocean Racing.

Tom Kneen’s Sunrise (GBR) swept the board in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race, winning the world’s biggest offshore race overall. "I have watched with envy, the fleet starting in beautiful conditions in this beautiful place for a number of years, and also I want to build on 2021. It's still sinking in that we won the Rolex Fastnet Race, and this race is the next step in the development of the project and the crew, and I'm very excited about it." - Tom Kneen, skipper of Sunrise.

Jacques Pelletier’s Milon 41 L’Ange de Milon (FRA) raced to the Caribbean in the RORC Transatlantic Race, coming fifth overall under IRC. "For each race, I want the same thing, we intend to be the first. Unfortunately, everybody wants to be first! 20-25kts (of wind) the boat is very fast. But mainly, you need a good crew. Without a good crew, you do nothing." - Jacques Pelletier, skipper, L’Ange de Milon.

With 19 teams, IRC Zero is the largest class in the RORC Caribbean 600. The competition within the class is set to be red hot. RORC Vice Commodore Eric de Turckheim’s NMYD 54 Teasing Machine (FRA) rates lower than the pack of hot 50-footers. Teasing Machine’s tactician Laurent Pages commented that the team is really looking forward to the race against top competition. Ron Hanley’s Cookson 50 Privateer (USA), overall winner in 2013 and second overall in 2018, sailed to Antigua from Rhode Island to take part in the race. The Swedish Elliot 44 CR Matador, skippered by, Jonas Grander, finished 4th overall under IRC in the Rolex Fastnet Race.

The MOCRA battle is on once again! The 600-mile RORC classic will headline a Line Honours re-match for three 70-foot trimarans which went hard and fast for the line in this year’s RORC Transatlantic Race.

Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) won the 3,000-mile race by a paper-thin margin and also holds the RORC Caribbean 600 Race Record (2019 - 30 hours, 49 minutes, 00 seconds). Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (CAY) and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA) will be looking to push Maserati all the way for the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600.

Race Director Chris Stone sets the scene in Antigua for the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600. “An amazing race in trade winds, with an exceptional fleet of boats - this is a sailors’ paradise.”

Three navigators spill the beans on what lies ahead for their respective teams in the 13th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, which starts on Monday 21 February.

A spectacular fleet of 75 boats, ranging from 32ft (10m) to 125ft (38.07m) will take the start of the 13th edition of the 600 nautical mile RORC Caribbean 600 on Monday 21st February 2022.

Seventy-five boats are entered for the RORC Caribbean 600 which starts on Monday 21 February in Antigua. The bulk of the astonishing fleet will be racing under IRC for overall victory and the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy.

This year’s RORC Caribbean 600 features a spectacular MOCRA Class with 10 multihulls in action. Whilst the overall winner of the RORC Caribbean 600 will be the monohull with best corrected time under IRC, racing under the MOCRA rating rule, many of the multihull class of 2022 are new to the race and the winner, after time correction, is wide open. The 600-mile RORC classic will headline a Line Honours re-match for three 70-foot trimarans which went hard and fast for the line in this year’s RORC Transatlantic Race.

Giovanni Soldini’s Multi70 Maserati (ITA) won the 3,000-mile race by a paper-thin margin and also holds the RORC Caribbean 600 Race Record (2019 - 30 hours, 49 minutes, 00 seconds). Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (CAY) and Jason Carroll’s Argo (USA) will be looking to push Maserati all the way for the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600. PowerPlay took Line Honours in 2020 by less than five minutes from Argo, with Maserati third. The wild card for Multihull Line Honours is Antoine Rabaste’s Ultim’Emotion 2 (FRA), which has a waterline advantage over the three 70-foot trimarans. The multihull leader on the water is expected to change many times - be prepared for a photo-finish, potentially at record pace.

With nearly 80 entries racing under the IRC Rating Rule, MOCRA and Class40 division, the 13^th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 is set to be an awesome event.

The hiatus is over - the RORC Caribbean 600 is back and set to start in Antigua on February 21st, 2022. Early entries include teams representing a dozen different countries from around the world.

Seventy-three teams with 700 sailors from 37 different countries took part in the 12^th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600. Disruption to the trade winds produced a tactical and strategic battle in predominantly light air. The traditional trade wind experience of blasting around the 600nm course was replaced with wind traps at most of the 11 Caribbean islands. Avoiding the windless lees and making use of the acceleration zones were the key to a winning performance. There were battles right through the fleet and sightings of breaching whales, dolphins and turtles which enhanced the sublime vistas.

Watch the 23 minute wrap-up film of the 2020 race - includes interviews with competitors and winners from all classes across the fleet.