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

Fastnet Ace Trentesaux Joins International Round Ireland Fleet

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.

Fastnet Ace Trentesaux Joins International Round Ireland Fleet

19th February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Helm Focus — Géry Trentesaux steers Ker 43 Long Courrier during RORC offshore racing as the French skipper prepares for June’s Round Ireland Yacht Race from Wicklow.

Helm Focus — Géry Trentesaux steers Ker 43 Long Courrier during RORC offshore racing, the French skipper preparing for June’s Round Ireland Yacht Race from Wicklow. Credit: Paul Wyeth/Rolex

French offshore legend Géry Trentesaux has entered the 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race.

The former Rolex Fastnet Race overall winner will race his Sydney GTS 43 Long Courrier in the 700-mile offshore classic starting from Wicklow in June.

The non-stop circumnavigation is one of the most demanding races in the British and Irish calendar. Crews must round Ireland and its offshore islands to starboard, navigating Atlantic swells and complex tidal gates.

Trentesaux is a long-standing competitor on the Royal Ocean Racing Club circuit. He first raced the Fastnet in 1977 and has recorded at least 18 appearances in the race. He finished a close second in the 2025 edition.

Atlantic Charge — Long Courrier powers through heavy seas in RORC competition, showcasing the Sydney GTS 43’s offshore capability ahead of the 700-mile Round Ireland test. Photo: Paul Wyeth/RORC

In 2015, he won the Fastnet overall with his JPK 10.80 Courrier Du Léon, lifting the Fastnet Challenge Trophy. He has since continued to campaign Long Courrier in leading IRC divisions.

His Sydney GTS 43 has secured class titles in RORC championships, including IRC One victory in the 2025 RORC Cowes Offshore Racing Series. In the 2025 RORC Season’s Points Championship, Long Courrier finished second overall under IRC.

Fastnet Voice — Fastnet winner Géry Trentesaux speaks at the Rolex Fastnet Race prizegiving, reflecting a career that began in 1977 and continues with Long Courrier. Photo: Rick Tomlinson

At the RORC Centenary Annual Awards, Trentesaux and Long Courrier collected the Trenchemer Cup for IRC One, along with the Gordon Applebey Trophy and the Stradivarius Trophy.

Organised by Wicklow Sailing Club with the RORC and the Royal Irish Yacht Club, the biennial Round Ireland race continues to attract international interest.

As Afloat previously reported, Trentesaux is among a strong group of early entries. The fleet has grown to 15 boats.

The Early Bird entry rate closes at the end of February.

Published in Round Ireland

Round Ireland Yacht Race Live Tracker 2026

Track the progress of the 2026 Wicklow Sailing Club Round Ireland Race fleet on the live tracker above and see all Afloat's Round Ireland Race coverage in one handy link here

Published in Round Ireland

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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