Round Britain & Ireland Race Returns for 50th Edition

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has published the Notice of Race for the 2026 Round Britain and Ireland Race, officially opening entries for the 50th anniversary edition of the storied 1,805-nautical-mile offshore challenge. The race will start Sunday, August 9, 2026, from Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Invited divisions include IRC monohulls, multihulls, IMOCA entries, and one-design classes such as Class40. The course remains one of the most formidable in offshore racing, sending crews on a full circumnavigation of Britain and Ireland and leaving every island and rock, including Shetland’s remote Muckle Flugga, to starboard.

First held in 1976, the race demands constant seamanship and endurance as crews navigate shifting weather, tidal gates, exposed North Atlantic stretches, and headlands including Land’s End, St. Kilda, and Fair Isle.

“The Round Britain and Ireland Race is one of the ultimate tests in offshore sailing,” said RORC Racing Manager Steve Cole. “Its mix of coastal challenges and exposed ocean passages makes it both unpredictable and unforgettable. With the Notice of Race now published, we’re looking forward to welcoming an exceptional fleet in 2026.”

The race has produced some of offshore sailing’s most memorable performances. In 2014, the VO65 Azzam set the monohull record and skipper Ian Walker called the contest “brutal” yet extraordinary. “Mentally, nothing was tougher than the final 12 hours as the wind died away,” Walker said after the finish. “Looking back now, the most amazing thing about that edition is that we didn’t tack once until we were back at the forts.”

Richard Palmer, who won overall IRC honors in 2022 aboard his JPK 1010 Jangada while racing double-handed, called the course “a full-on race with absolutely no let-up.” He added that it delivers “close racing on the IRC ratings” and tests crews to the limit across changing weather systems and tidal gates.

Since 2006, Sevenstar Yacht Transport served as title sponsor. RORC thanked Sevenstar for its longstanding support and is seeking new partners for the 2026 race.

Online entry opens November 3, 2025, at roundbritainandireland.rorc.org. Race fans will be able to follow the fleet through live tracking and watch the start from shore in Cowes and other headland vantage points around the British Isles.

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