The 2026 Newport Bermuda Race will get underway on Friday, 19 June, with more than 150 boats lining up for the 636-nautical-mile offshore passage from Newport, Rhode Island, to Bermuda.
Known as the "Thrash to the Onion Patch", the race is now in its 54th edition and remains one of the world's best-known offshore sailing contests. For the second time, the public will be able to watch the start from the Starting Line Festival at Fort Adams in Newport.
One Irish sailor ocmpeting is the National Yacht Club's Conor Totterdell on MadCap, a Santa Cruz 52 skippered by John Hoskins in the N2B division.
The free event runs from 11am to 4pm and will feature viewing areas for the race, family activities, food trucks, and refreshments.
The race start will also be broadcast live online through the Starting Line Live Show Powered by Ørsted, with expert commentary, aerial coverage and onboard footage. Organisers say the 2026 race marks a century of partnership between the Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, which jointly organise the event.
Race followers will have expanded coverage throughout the week. From 20 June, the Gulf Stream Show Powered by Palm Beach Motor Yachts will provide daily broadcasts tracking the fleet's progress offshore. Competitors face a challenging 636-nautical-mile crossing that includes navigating the Gulf Stream before reaching Bermuda.
The Newport Bermuda Race continues to attract sailors from across North America and beyond, combining offshore endurance, tactical decision-making and ocean-racing tradition.
