RORC Caribbean 600

The RORC Caribbean 600 is a single, relentless offshore race: roughly 600 nautical miles, starting and finishing off Antigua's south coast, with a course that threads past eleven islands from Barbuda in the north to Guadeloupe in the south. Organised by Britain's Royal Ocean Racing Club, it has become a fixture for serious offshore crews and record-chasing maxis since its launch in 2009.

The 17th edition starts on Monday 23 February 2026, with the first gun off English Harbour at 11:00 local time. Fast boats can complete the loop in under two days, while smaller yachts may still be racing into the final weekend of February. The fleet typically mixes Class40s, IRC racers, IMOCA 60s, and giant multihulls.

For spectators, the start is the highlight. The fleet forms up just outside the harbour, so the headlands around Shirley Heights and the cliffs near Fort Barrington give sweeping views of dozens of yachts hardening up for the first reach. Race village activity centres on Falmouth Harbour, close to Nelson's Dockyard.

The race falls in the dry, breezy heart of Antigua's high season, when steady trade winds make for fast, demanding sailing and reliably sunny shoreside weather.