Dublin sailor Nicole Hemeryck and Cork's Joe Griffiths have completed the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race aboard Bellino, taking a provisional IRC Two podium place despite racing the final 200 miles without a mainsail.
The two Irish sailors, both graduates of the RORC Griffin programme, were racing aboard Rob Craigie's Sun Fast 3600 Bellino with RORC Commodore Deb Fish. The crew reached Cowes on Friday morning (21 August), completing the 1,805-nautical-mile race after a broken boom had ended their challenge for victory but not their determination to finish competitively.
Bellino's corrected time provisionally places her third in IRC Two — a notable result after the crew raced the final 200 miles without a mainsail.
"All credit to the crew. We have been pushing as hard since the breakage as we were before it," Fish said.
After a short rest following the finish, the RORC Commodore returned to Trinity Landing to welcome other competitors completing the 50th anniversary race.
45 Seconds Separates Double-Handed Rivals
Friday's biggest finishing battle came between two Sun Fast 3300s, Kestrel and Sky Business - Game On, which were separated by only 45 seconds after 1,805 nautical miles.
Game on: Ian Hoddle and Willow Bland celebrate after Sky Business - Game On's IRC correction turned a 45-second line deficit to Kestrel into provisional IRC Two and IRC Two-Handed victory. Photo: RORC
Simon Bamford and Zeb Fellows aboard Kestrel crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line at 02:10:15 BST, just 45 seconds ahead of Ian Hoddle and Willow Bland on Game On. However, Game On's slightly lower IRC rating reversed the order on corrected time, provisionally giving Hoddle and Bland victory in both IRC Two and IRC Two-Handed.
Forty-five seconds: Kestrel heads for Cowes, where she crossed the line only 45 seconds ahead of Game On before IRC correction reversed their finishing order. Photo: Rick Tomlinson
Bamford and Fellows are provisionally second in both divisions, while remarkably the two boats also occupy third and fourth places overall under IRC.
Sam White and Nathan Steffenoni's Mzungu! completed the provisional IRC Two-Handed podium after finishing shortly before 6 am.
Podium secured: Sam White and Nathan Steffenoni celebrate the finish aboard Mzungu!, which provisionally completed the IRC Two-Handed podium in third place. Photo: RORC
Game On Wins After Nearly 12 Days
The finish was the culmination of an intense match race over the closing stages, after Kestrel recovered from more than 20 miles behind.
"For the last three days I could hardly sleep," Hoddle said. "Suddenly we were fighting them boat-for-boat, sometimes only boat lengths apart. "That continued day and night for two days. It was the most intense racing I have ever done."
For Hoddle, the provisional victory came on his third attempt at the Round Britain and Ireland Race after twice finishing runner-up.
"This is the third time I have done the Round Britain and Ireland Race. Twice I have been runner-up, so the ambition this time was to win it," he said. "It looks like we have, and I am incredibly proud of what the two of us have achieved over the last 12 days."
Bland said the result exceeded their expectations. "We said that a top-three result would be fantastic, so to win is incredibly exciting," she said.
The rivalry had an added dimension as Fellows and Bland were teammates at the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championship.
Kestrel Takes Fight to Cowes
Fellows said being the chasing boat had suited Kestrel as the gap narrowed.
"Once we saw the miles coming down, we knew it was on," he said. "We got the jump on Game On on the last day, and suddenly we were ahead. It became a match race to the finish."
Chasing to Cowes: Simon Bamford and Zeb Fellows celebrate completing the 1,805-nautical-mile race aboard Kestrel, which crossed the line just 45 seconds ahead of Game On. Photo: RORC
Their challenge almost came unstuck approaching Beachy Head when Kestrel lost its jib at the top of the forestay.
"We lost the jib at the top of the forestay, so I had to go up the mast in 30 knots," Fellows said. "It was pretty bouncy up there. We recovered it and were soon neck and neck with Game On again."
Stream of Finishers Reaches Cowes
Friday morning also brought a succession of further finishers into Cowes.
Andreas Buchheim and Tim Behrendt completed the race double-handed aboard Frida, marking another milestone in an offshore partnership stretching back almost 30 years. They became the first double-handed team to finish the 2026 race and provisionally hold second place in IRC One.
Nick Edmonds' J/45 Stickleback also reached Cowes and provisionally holds third in IRC One, while Moana was among the overnight finishers.
Shortly before 7 am, the young RORC Griffin crew completed their circuit of Britain and Ireland, with the tired sailors heading to the RORC Cowes Clubhouse for breakfast after finishing the offshore marathon.
Griffin finish: The young RORC Griffin crew celebrate in Cowes after completing their circuit of Britain and Ireland shortly before 7am on Friday. Photo: RORC
Tough Miles Remain for Boats at Sea
For crews still racing on Friday, conditions remained demanding.
AJ Wanderlust, around 650 nautical miles from the finish in the latest report, was experiencing winds of 20 to 28 knots in the North Sea and seas of between 2.5 and three metres.
Richard and Emma Breese aboard Mojo recorded a high speed of 16.5 knots shortly before a major broach.
The pair recovered the boat and completed a controlled spinnaker drop, accepting the loss of miles as they concentrated on completing the race.
Cameron Davis's Farr 40 Espresso Martini Too was expected to finish later on Friday, with her crew approaching what they hoped would be their final sunrise at sea.
Final sunrise: Espresso Martini Too approaches the closing miles of the Round Britain and Ireland Race after nearly two weeks at sea aboard the Farr 40. Photo: Espresso Martini Too
With Bellino's Irish crew safely ashore and a provisional IRC Two podium place secured, several crews remain on the 1,805-nautical-mile course as the 50th anniversary Round Britain and Ireland Race moves through its closing stages.
