The ARC+ 2025 transatlantic rally is underway following a vibrant opening ceremony in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Sunday, 2 November.
Although the Irish tricolour was seen during the marina parade, Afloat.ie has so far been unable to confirm the identity of the Irish-registered yacht or crew taking part in this year’s edition.
The rally, which sees boats cross the Atlantic via Cape Verde en route to Grenada, includes 87 boats and 413 participants from 27 countries.
Sailors gathered at the northern end of the marina before parading along the promenade with national flags, cheered on by locals and fellow competitors.
Local bands Guiniguada and Batucada added a festive rhythm to the colourful procession.
Anthony Judd, sailing on Bingera, said: “It’s just fantastic to see all the nations. It’s a great way of gathering people together to celebrate a great event.”
“The programme has been really good so far… Check-in was really efficient and working with the safety team went beautifully,” he added.
The 13th edition of ARC+ begins on 9 November with the first 850-nautical mile leg to Mindelo in Cape Verde. The second leg to Grenada covers 2,150 nautical miles.
Meanwhile, Ireland is confirmed to be represented in the main ARC Rally starting on 23 November. Brian and Sinead Bourke’s Breegeimel, a Contest 50CS, is entered for that event.
So far, ARC+ participants have taken part in social gatherings and environmental initiatives, including the Foresta Project, which has planted over 4,000 trees since 2010.
The fleet features 57 monohulls, 28 catamarans, and two trimarans. The largest yacht is Anastasia (20.36m), while the smallest is Restless of Stornoway (10.77m).
Spectators are encouraged to watch the fleet’s departure from Las Palmas on 9 November.
