Remon Vos’ RP100 Black Jack 100 with Irish sailmaker Shane Hughes of North Sails on board has claimed Monohull Line Honours in the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 after a gripping duel with Leopard 3 (with Royal Cork's Tom McWilliam aboard)
Skippered by Tristan Le Brun, Black Jack 100 completed the 600-mile course in 1 Day 20 Hrs 31 Mins 36 Secs. The margin followed one of the closest 100-foot contests in the race’s history.
At the start off Antigua, Leopard 3, helmed by Joost Schuijff and skippered by Chris Sherlock, edged ahead by 17 seconds. “From 15 to 20 knots upwind she will be faster,” Le Brun said. “We knew this would be the reality.”
By Barbuda, Black Jack had overturned the deficit to lead by more than two minutes. The advantage stretched and shrank through Nevis, Saba and St Barts as shifting breeze compressed the fleet.
“We almost had three starts,” Le Brun said, citing wind shadows at St Kitts and Guadeloupe.
Victory Return — The RP100 Black Jack 100 arrives back in Antigua after securing Monohull Line Honours in a gripping 600-mile duel with Leopard 3
As Afloat reported earlier, the decisive moment came in the lee of Guadeloupe. Black Jack’s navigator Max Deckers opted to stay tight to the coastline. The move delivered a clean restart in fading breeze, although Leopard briefly regained the lead near La Désirade.
From there, the race turned on reaching speed. Deploying a triple-headed sail plan, Black Jack extended to 22 minutes ahead at Barbuda and more than 35 minutes at Redonda.
“As soon as we put the bow down, she is lit up,” Le Brun said.
Sherlock acknowledged the difference. “Black Jack can put their bow down and boot it,” he said. “We’ll look at the data.”
With a comfortable margin at Redonda, Black Jack controlled the final beat to Antigua. Leopard 3 followed as second monohull, keeping the pressure on to the finish.
“It was probably the best boat-for-boat we’ve had in this race,” Sherlock said. “Black Jack sailed fantastically.”
For Vos, the contest mattered as much as the trophy. “It’s important to have a battle,” he said. “That’s what makes it fantastic.”
Black Jack 100 was making her Caribbean 600 debut under a new team, adding this result to previous line honours in the Rolex Fastnet and Rolex Middle Sea races.
