Friday 15:30hrs – An entire week’s wind and a southerly, and all of it crammed into one Friday afternoon. That’s how it has felt as the bulk of the fleet slugged their way towards the finish of the Round Ireland Race 2026 at Wicklow, with fog about amidst the sunshine, and crews - worn down by contending with calm - having to up their game in heavy weather sailing almost within sight of the finish.

It was a scenario that could well have scrambled this morning’s posted results expectations, as the incredible Courrier Pogo and then bigger boats like Pata Negra and El Syd were well into port by 07:30, yet those still at sea were facing increasing imponderables as the day drew on and they bashed their way south.

Scow Speed — Courrier Pogo, the Pogo RC skippered by Gery Trentesaux, powers to windward after the start of the 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race. The French entry, with Ireland's Tom Dolan among the crew, went on to win overall on corrected time. Photo: Bob Bateman

But now we’ve the top ten results, and they’re well spread in a satisfying way that reflects the diversity of the fleet, both in home port and boat types and sizes.

The question became whether or not Johnny Murphy of Howth and his all-Ireland crew on the J/109 Outrajeous could maintain a speed that retained their increasingly narrow third place ahead of the safely-berthed Hall family from Pwllheli with the Lombard 46 Pata Negra.

Rock Solid — The J/109 Outrajeous races past the rugged Wicklow coastline during the 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race. Johnny Murphy's Howth crew went on to secure third overall on corrected time and four class victories. Photo: Bob Bateman

Well, Outrajeous did it. Not by a lot for a race of this length, but by enough. She takes third overall with a CT of 5d 23h 57min 50sec to the 6d 0h 25min 22sec of Pata Negra, and with it wins Class 4, the Corinthian Division, the ISORA Class and the ICRA Class as well.

Classic Charge — The Swan 40 Shindig under sail before the start of the 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race. The Kinsale yacht and her crew produced a superb performance to finish 10th overall on corrected time. Photo: Bob Bateman

Getting into the top ten in a fleet like this is some going, and all power to the Kilmore Quay crew on the veteran Mils 36 Prime Suspect, who came ninth, and to Tony Kingston and the Kinsale crew on the classic Swan 40 Shindig, into the Hall of Fame at 10th overall with some very hot boats behind them.

Prime Performance — The Mills 36 Prime Suspect and her Kilmore Quay crew before the start of the 2026 Round Ireland Yacht Race. The veteran racer went on to finish ninth overall on corrected time. Photo: Bob Bateman.

Round Ireland Race Wicklow 2026

IRC Overall: 1st Khumbu (Guy Gillon, RORC & UK), 2nd Courrier Pogo (Gery Trentesaux, RYS & France), 3rd Outrajeous (Johnny & Suzie Murphy, HYC, Ireland) 4th Pata Negra (Sam & Andrew Hall, Pwllheli SC, Wales), 5th Loinnir Girl (John Malone & Sam Hunt, Lough Ree YC & Kinsale YC, Ireland) 6th El Syd, (Frank Whelan, Greystones SC, Ireland), 7th & 1st Two-Hander Bellino (Rob Craigie & Deb Fish, RORC UK) 8th The Big Picture (Mike & Richie Evans, Howth YC Ireland, 9th Prime Suspect (Keith Millar, Kilmore Quay BC, Ireland) 10th Shindig Tony Kingston, Kinsale YC, Ireland).