What is the date and time of the 2020 Round Ireland Yacht Race?

August 22nd. Starting times: Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs.

What is the Round Ireland Yacht Race distance?

Approximately 704 nautical miles or 1304 kilometres

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2026 Set For June Start, Notice of Race Published

Q: What is the Round Ireland Race speed record?

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2026 Set For June Start, Notice of Race Published

9th January 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Monohulls power past Wicklow Head during a previous Round Ireland start, with the 2026 edition set to get underway on 20 June Credit: Afloat

The 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race will begin on Saturday, 20 June from Wicklow Harbour, with monohulls starting at 13:00 and multihulls at 13:10.

Entries will open next Wednesday, January 14th.

Organised by Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and Royal Irish Yacht Club, the 704-nautical mile offshore challenge is Ireland’s premier offshore race.

Yachts will race clockwise around the island of Ireland, leaving all islands — except Rockall — to starboard.

The race carries significant standing in international circuits, with 20 bonus points awarded for the RORC Season’s Championship, and ratings applied under IRC, Class 40 and MOCRA rules.

Yachts lie moored in Wicklow Harbour ahead of the 2024 Round Ireland Yacht Race, as crews prepare for Ireland’s toughest offshore sailing challenge around the island’s 704-nautical mile course Photo: Afloat

Eligible monohulls must be at least 9.15 metres in length, have valid IRC certificates, and meet minimum safety standards. Multihulls of 9 metres or more with valid MOCRA ratings may also enter.

"The race is open to experienced offshore crews only," the Notice of Race states. Crews must show proof of 300 nautical miles of offshore experience and meet training requirements, including sea survival and first aid certification.

A separate Two-Handed Class (IRC Class 6) is available, but organisers reserve the right to assess crew competence for shorthanded entries.

The entry system opens online at roundireland, ie from 14 January 2026. Early bird discounts are available until 31 March, with final entries closing on 31 May.

Entry fees vary by boat length, starting at €600 for yachts between 9–9.99 metres, with a €300 non-refundable deposit required.

Safety inspections are mandatory and will be conducted in Wicklow or Dun Laoghaire from 17 June. All boats must carry AIS transponders and official tracking units.

Trophies will be awarded across multiple classes, including overall IRC winner, line honours, two-handed, Class 40, best overseas entry and more.

Prize-giving is scheduled for Friday, 26 June at Wicklow Sailing Club.

The full Notice of Race is available for download below.

Downloads

Round-Ireland-2026-Notice-of-Race-v1.pdf (105 Downloads)

Published in Round Ireland

Tagged under

Round Ireland Yacht Race 2026

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Round Ireland Yacht Race Information

The Round Ireland Yacht Race is Ireland's classic offshore yacht race starts from Wicklow Sailing Club (WSC) and is organised jointly with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC). This page details the very latest updates from the 2008 race onwards including the race schedule, yacht entries and the all-important race updates from around the 704-mile course. Keep up to date with the Round Ireland Yacht Race here on this one handy reference page.

2020 Round Ireland Race

The 2020 race, the 21st edition, was the first race to be rescheduled then cancelled.

Following Government restrictions over COVID-19, a decision on the whether or not the 2020 race can be held was made on April 9 2020 to reschedule the race to Saturday, August 22nd. On July 27th, the race was regrettably cancelled due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19.

Because of COVID-19, the race had to have a virtual launch party at the Royal Irish Yacht Club for its 21st edition.

In spite of the pandemic, however, a record entry was in prospect for 2020 with 50 boats entered with four weeks to go to the race start. The race was also going big on size and variety to make good on a pre-race prediction that the fleet could reach 60. An Irish offshore selection trial also looked set to be a component part of the 2020 race.

The rescheduling of the race to a news date emphasises the race's national significance, according to Afloat here

FAQs

How many miles duration is the Round Ireland Yacht Race?

704 nautical miles, 810 miles or 1304 kilometres

What is the distance around Ireland's coastline?

3171 kilometres is the estimate of Ireland's coastline by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland.

Who is the sponsor of the 2020 Round Ireland Yacht Race?

SSE Renewables are the sponsors of the 2020 Round Ireland Race.

Who organises the Round Ireland Yacht Race?

Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London and The Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin.

Where is the Round Ireland Race Start?

Off Wicklow Harbour on Saturday, August 22nd 2020

What is the Round Ireland Race Start time?

Monohulls 1300 hrs and Multihulls 13.10 hrs

What is the Round Ireland Race course?

Leave Ireland and all its islands (excluding Rockall) to starboard.

How long does it take to sail Round Ireland?

It depends on the boat. The elapsed record time for the race is under 40 hours but most boats take five or six days to complete the course.

Is there a Round Ireland Race Tracker?

The Race Tracker is https://afloat.ie/sail/events/round-ireland/item/25789-round-ireland-yacht-race-tracker-2016-here.

What is the history of the Round Ireland Race?

The idea of a race around Ireland began in 1975 with a double-handed race starting and finishing in Bangor organised by Ballyholme Yacht Club with stopovers in Crosshaven and Killybegs. That race only had four entries. In 1980 Michael Jones put forward the idea of a non-stop race and was held in that year from Wicklow Sailing Club. Sixteen pioneers entered that race with Brian Coad’s Raasay of Melfort returning home after six days at sea to win the inaugural race. Read the first Round Ireland Yacht Race 1980 Sailing Instructions here

What is the Round Ireland Race speed record?

The Round Ireland race record of 38 h 37 min 7 s is held by MOD-70 trimaran Musandam-Oman Sail and was set in June 2016.

What is the Round Ireland Race Monohull Speed record?

George David’s Rambler 88 (USA) holds the fastest monohull race time of two days two hours 24 minutes and 9 seconds set in the 2016 race.

What was the first round Ireland voyage?

William Power's 45ft Olivia undertook a round Ireland cruise in September 1860

What is the Smallest Boat To Sail Round Ireland?

Richard Hayes completed his solo epic round Ireland voyage in September 2018 in a 14-foot Laser dinghy. The voyage had seen him log a total of 1,324 sea miles (2,452 kilometres) in 54 sailing days. in 1961, the Belfast Lough Waverly Durward crewed by Kevin and Colm MacLaverty and Mick Clarke went around Ireland in three-and-a-half weeks becoming the smallest keelboat ever to go round. While neither of these achievements occurred as part of the race they are part of Round Ireland sailing history