Black Jack 100 will take on Leopard 3 for monohull line honours in the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600
by Louay Habib / RORC 20 Nov 2025 03:56 NZDT
23 February 2026
Black Jack 100 and Leopard 3 at the start of the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex
In Antigua, this February, the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 is shaping up to be the combat zone for a gripping battle between two of the world's fastest 100-foot Maxis: Leopard 3 and Black Jack 100.
The two giants are preparing to go head-to-head for monohull line honours across 600 miles of challenging Caribbean waters and the RORC Caribbean 600 monohull record of 01 days 13 hrs 41 mins 45 secs, set by George David's Rambler in 2018.
The duel brings together two of the great names in offshore racing. On one side stands the Farr 100 Leopard 3 with Joost Schuijff at the helm. On the other, the Reichel Pugh 100 Black Jack, helmed by Remon Vos.
Leopard 3 has a rich history of victories in the race. The 2026 edition will be Leopard's ninth '600 campaign under project manager Chris Sherlock - a Caribbean 600 veteran who knows every shift, squall and island contour of the course. On the other, Black Jack 100 is skippered by Tristan LeBrun. Both LeBrun and the boat will be making their debut in the race. Le Brun has raced extensively in the Caribbean, but the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 will be his first with a new crew and something to prove.
A tale of two maxis
Leopard 3 was one of the founding entries of the RORC Caribbean 600, setting the original monohull race record in 2009 and taking Monohull Line Honours again in 2013. In 2024, Leopard not only claimed Monohull Line Honours but also won IRC Zero and the race overall under IRC. An extraordinary triple crown that took 15 years to achieve.
Originally launched in 2007 for global offshore competition, Leopard has since taken line honours and set records in races around the world, including the Rolex Fastnet Race, transatlantic races and the Rolex Maxi Yacht Cup. Following a major refit under new ownership, she's lighter and faster than ever. Leopard's latest modifications are aimed at optimising for reaching conditions with new rudders and a medium-air aero package.
Black Jack 100 began life as Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo II, taking Line Honours for the Rolex Sydney Hobart and Rolex Middle Sea Race. She went on to a stellar career including setting multiple Transpac records.
As Esimit Europa II, the 100ft Maxi took Line Honours for the 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race, beating Leopard 3, and set Mediterranean records, dominating regattas from St Tropez to Trieste. Esimit Europa II achieved five consecutive Line honours wins for the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Reborn as Black Jack 100, the Reichel/Pugh design has undergone major modifications for offshore speed. Black Jack 100 is in great form this year, having taken Monohull Line Honours for both the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race and Rolex Middle Sea Race.
For Black Jack's LeBrun, the attraction of racing in the Caribbean is clear. "We love sailing and we wanted to keep racing through the winter," he explains.
"We thank the RORC for organising the Caribbean 600; it is one of the few events where 100-footers can really stretch their legs at that time of year. The course is beautiful but unforgiving; constant sail changes, tactical transitions, and some of the best offshore racing you can find anywhere."
Although LeBrun has spent years in the Caribbean, this will be his first time competing in the RORC Caribbean 600. "I can't wait. It's a legendary race. We know Leopard has incredible experience here, but that's what makes it exciting. We have everything to prove."
Optimising for the conditions
Both teams have fine-tuned their boats for Antigua's unique blend of trade winds, tactical island passages and extended max-speed legs.
Sherlock says Leopard's 2026 campaign has been designed specifically with the 600 in mind. "We've adjusted the mainsail area and added new rudders to drive the boat harder when reaching. The Caribbean 600 is a reaching race, so that should help us. We're more optimised now for medium air and higher average speeds than we've ever been."
LeBrun agrees that optimisation is key, but for Black Jack, the focus has been on balance and versatility. "We've reworked the entire sail plan, earlier this year," he says. "Bigger sails up front and a smaller main, the boat feels perfectly balanced. All our head sails are now furling, which means faster, safer sail changes. Around eleven islands there's no time to waste, so being able to push a button instead of hauling a 300-square-metre jib on deck makes a big difference."
Strengths and strategies
Sherlock expects a close fight but is hoping for the 'trades to blow in February. "If it's light, Black Jack will run away; they're lighter and narrower," says Sherlock. "But if it's medium to heavy air, the boats need to start to depower, and we can push harder for longer. Being a wider boat, we can hang on. I think it could be snakes and ladders all the way round; the first team to make a mistake will give the other the jump."
LeBrun is equally analytical. "Leopard is dangerous when reaching, that's her strength," he acknowledges. "We're a lighter VMG boat, faster downwind and in light airs upwind as well. But there are so many transitions in this race: Guadeloupe, Barbuda, the squalls off Marie Galante - anything can happen. The best races are the ones where there's a fight. I think we'll be close the whole way."
Both agree that knowledge of the course could prove decisive. Leopard's crew has years of experience threading the gaps between the 11 islands of the Central Caribbean and Sherlock points to specific hotspots: "Guadeloupe's always tricky, usually the biggest wind shadow of the race and the Marie Galante to Barbuda leg can make or break your race. You're tired, it's dark, the squalls roll through, that's where experience counts."
Crew and chemistry
Leopard's strength lies not only in her power, but in her people. Many of Sherlock's crew have been racing together for decades.
"We've found the right balance, just one or two more than our inshore number, to bolster the trim and driver area. On a race like this, you need the right energy in the right moments."
For Black Jack, building that energy has been an ongoing process. "Our program runs through to 2028," LeBrun says. "We've put together a team that's not necessarily made of rock stars, but people who are committed, positive, and fully invested. The average age is mid-30s, experienced sailors who want to learn together and stay together. It's about teamwork and attitude."
Black Jack's watch system for the 600 will be flexible. "It's not just a sprint," LeBrun explains. "Some legs are like inshore racing with everyone on deck, trimming... attacking. Others are more offshore with half the crew resting. We don't run standard watches; we use a buddy system. You pair up and you look after each other. It's more fluid, more reactive."
A rivalry with respect
Offshore Maxi rivalries echo through the history of the sport, sometimes with razor blade comments, but this matchup has a new flavour.
LeBrun describes it best: "We know Leopard are the rock stars of this race. They've done it eight times; they know what they're doing. We have everything to prove, we love the competition. It's friendly, but of course, we want to win."
Sherlock agrees with a grin. "It's going to be a ding-dong battle. That's what the Caribbean 600 is all about; fast, tactical and full of surprises. You couldn't ask for a better racecourse or better boats to do it in."
Records and reality
The course record, set by Rambler in 2018, stands at 01 days 13 hrs 41 mins 45 secs. Both Sherlock and LeBrun think it's within reach. "It's definitely doable if the trades are steady," says Sherlock. LeBrun concurs: "The record averages about 16 knots. That's very fast, but with the right wind angle, both boats could be in record-breaking mode. Imagine finishing side by side, both breaking the record, now that would be the perfect race."
Looking Ahead
Whether it's Leopard's experience or Black Jack's momentum that triumphs, the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 promises one of the most compelling line honours contests in years. But beyond the rivalry lies something bigger; a shared passion for offshore sailing and a mutual respect between two world-class teams.
As LeBrun puts it: "We're all lucky; we get to race these incredible machines in one of the best places on earth. Every start line is a privilege, and the Caribbean 600 - that's the cherry on the cake!"
The 17th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, starting and finishing in Antigua, will start on Monday 23rd of February, 2026. The offshore race will be preceded by the inshore RORC Nelson's Cup Series with racing from 17-20 February.
For more information: www.caribbean600.rorc.org