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50th Anniversary Round Britain and Ireland Race - Preview

by RORC Press 26 Jul 05:35 PDT 9 August 2026
From on board Fujitsu British Soldier during the 2022 Round Britain & Ireland Race © Fujitsu British Soldier

In two weeks time, a fleet of 33 boats will set off on one of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's toughest offshore challenges. The 2026 Round Britain and Ireland Race celebrates its golden jubilee, marking the 50th anniversary of the race.

The 1,805nm non-stop circumnavigation will start from Cowes, Isle of Wight on Sunday 9 August, with the first warning signal at 1320 BST off the RYS Line. Boats and crews representing 12 nations will head east after the start before taking on the full challenge of racing around Britain and Ireland, navigating some of the most demanding waters in offshore sailing.

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2026 RORC Round Britain and Ireland highlights
Outstanding winners, but the enduring story of 2026 was its sailors Highlights of the 50th anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Thirty-two boats, 182 sailors from five continents and 1,805 nautical miles around Britain and Ireland. Posted on 5 Sep RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race Recap
Winners, survivors and extraordinary stories Thirty-two boats, 182 sailors from five continents and 1,805 nm around Britain and Ireland. The numbers convey the scale of the 50th anniversary Race but barely begin to describe what unfolded after the starting cannon fired on 9 August 2026. Posted on 28 Aug 2026 RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 14
Jetpack powers to class win as British Soldier completes the mission Two very different crews delivered two of the biggest stories on Day 14 of the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Posted on 22 Aug 2026 RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 13
Celebrations at RORC as the long way home delivers its stories Over the past 24 hours, the Competitors' Live Blog has captured the two contrasting faces of the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Posted on 21 Aug British Army sailors rescue Barn Owl
Exhausted bird given refuge 70 miles offshore during RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race An unexpected crew member joined the British Army Sailing Association's Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier for the final stages of the 50th Anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Posted on 20 Aug 2026 RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 12
Rush hour, match racing and Little Regina Sam Hall's Lombard 46 Pata Negra completed the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race in the early hours of Thursday morning, provisionally winning IRC One after a compelling race-long battle with Challenge Ocean. Posted on 20 Aug Pace Declared Overall Winner Under IRC
In the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race 2026 The Royal Ocean Racing Club is delighted to confirm that Johnny Vincent's Volvo 70 Pace has been declared the overall winner under IRC for the 2026 RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race. Posted on 19 Aug RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 10
Palanad 4 Proves the Concept as Class40 Battle Goes to the Wire Antoine Magré's radical Mach 50 Palanad 4 finished third on the water in the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race behind Pace and Varuna 6 in an elapsed time of 8 days 1 hr 44 mins 31 secs. Posted on 18 Aug RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 9
Varuna 6 finishes; class battles go to the wire On Day 9 of the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race, Jens Kellinghusen's Ker 56 Varuna 6 became the second monohull to complete the 1,805-nautical-mile course. All bar, three boats have rounded Muckle Flugga and class battles rage on in the marathon race. Posted on 17 Aug RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race day 8
Pace takes line honours: four chapters, one great adventure Johnny Vincent's Volvo 70 Pace has completed the 50th anniversary RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race, winning Monohull Line Honours after a race that combined raw speed, complex navigation and a deeply personal offshore journey for the owner. Posted on 16 Aug
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