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Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) News and Results
Fresh Perspective: Rob Taylor has joined the RORC Rating Office as Deputy Director, bringing extensive expertise in yacht measurement, regulation, offshore racing and naval architecture.
The RORC Rating Office has appointed Rob Taylor as Deputy Director, with the role taking effect from 7 July. Taylor joins the office to strengthen its technical, regulatory and international expertise across IRC rating, safety and race management services. He…
Cup Glory – François Charles and the Sun Hill IV crew celebrate with the King Edward VII Challenge Cup after winning overall under IRC in the 2026 RORC Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race.
France's Sun Hill IV claimed overall victory in the 2026 RORC Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race after a fast and tactical 150-nautical-mile passage across the English Channel. The Royal Ocean Racing Club's largest offshore fleet of the season saw 79 boats start…
Road To Cowes — The Admiral's Cup returns in 2027 as yacht clubs begin their campaigns for the 25th edition of the iconic offshore team championship, with entries opening on 1 July.
The countdown to the 25th Admiral's Cup has begun, with the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) opening entries for the 2027 edition from 1 July. The prestigious international team competition returns to Cowes in July 2027, marking 70 years since…
Channel Classic — The RORC Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race returns on July 3 with a strong offshore fleet racing 150 nautical miles from the Solent to Brittany.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club's historic Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race returns on Friday, July 3, with a strong international fleet contesting the 150-nautical-mile Channel classic. The race starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line in Cowes before heading west through the…
Chasing Hard — The Royal Thames Yacht Club's Rogan Josh powers through a steep Solent sea on her way to Morgan Cup victory, with rival yachts looming astern during the demanding offshore race to Dartmouth. Photo: Paul Wyeth/RORC
The Royal Thames Yacht Club's Commodore has claimed one of offshore sailing's most coveted trophies after a gruelling 112-nautical-mile race from Cowes to Dartmouth. Richard Powell guided the First 40 *Rogan Josh* to overall victory in the 2026 Morgan Cup…
Island Challenge — The Range Rover Sardinia Cup fleet races on the final coastal course off Porto Cervo, with light winds and tactical sailing deciding the closing stages of the regatta.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has won the 2026 Sardinia Cup, finishing ahead of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) and the RORC Gold team in Porto Cervo. The prestigious team regatta returned this year after a 14-year absence.…
Offshore Charge — The Morgan Cup fleet streams out of Cowes at the start of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's offshore race to Dartmouth. More than 40 boats are expected to contest the tactical south coast challenge.
The Morgan Cup Race returns on 12 June with more than 40 boats expected on the start line for the offshore passage from Cowes to Dartmouth. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Royal Yacht Squadron,…
New Man At The Helm — Paul Arkwright, newly appointed General Manager of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, brings extensive international yacht club leadership experience to the role.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has appointed Paul Arkwright as its new General Manager. Arkwright takes up the role on 8 June and joins the club following his tenure as General Manager of Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Hong…
Island Chase — Rival crews power downwind through the crystal waters of the La Maddalena archipelago during the opening coastal race of the revived Range Rover Sardinia Cup off Porto Cervo.
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and host club Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) share the lead after the opening day of the Range Rover Sardinia Cup in Porto Cervo. The prestigious offshore team regatta returned to the calendar on…
Winning Formula: National YC's Will Byrne and Baltimore SC's Harry Durcan were part of the Final Final crew that won overall IRC honours at Italy's 151 Miglia race. Photo: Studio Taccola Fabio
The Irish offshore sailing season received another boost over the Bank Holiday weekend when National Yacht Club bowman Will Byrne from Dublin Bay and West Cork's Baltimore Sailing Club helmsman Harry Durcan helped the TP52 Final Final secure overall IRC…
Offshore Ambition — Eimer McMorrow-Moriarty races aboard the RORC Griffin Sun Fast 3600 as part of the youth development programme preparing sailors for major offshore events, including the Round Britain and Ireland Race.
At 22, Eimer McMorrow-Moriarty is exactly the kind of young offshore sailor the RORC Griffin Offshore Pathway was created to support. Lifeboat Roots: Fenit RNLI volunteer Eimer McMorrow-Moriarty with her father and uncles at Fenit Lifeboat Station. Growing up in…
Vintage Victory — Harry Heijst’s S&S 41 Winsome powers through the Solent on her way to overall IRC victory in the 2026 RORC De Guingand Bowl Race, proving experience and teamwork still win offshore races.
Harry Heijst’s classic S&S 41 Winsome claimed overall honours in the 2026 RORC De Guingand Bowl Race after a closely fought offshore contest in the Solent and English Channel. The Royal Ocean Racing Club event delivered tactical racing, tight finishes…
Start Line – The S&S 41 Winsome powers through Solent chop during RORC offshore racing ahead of the 2026 De Guingand Bowl Race from Cowes.
The RORC De Guingand Bowl Race returns on Saturday 30 May with a competitive fleet expected on the start line in Cowes. The race marks the seventh round of the 2026 RORC Season’s Points Championship and the third event in…
Channel Charge — The 2026 RORC Myth of Malham Race fleet powers out of the Solent from Cowes with colourful spinnakers flying on the 235-nautical-mile offshore test to Eddystone Lighthouse.
The RORC Myth of Malham Race returns on Saturday 23 May with a strong offshore fleet set for the 235-nautical-mile challenge from Cowes to the Eddystone Lighthouse and back. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the…
Flying Dutchman — Diederik Forma’s Dutch JPK 1030 Jetpack powers downwind during the 2026 RORC North Sea Race before securing overall IRC victory into Scheveningen.
Diederik Forma’s Dutch JPK 1030 Jetpack claimed overall victory in the 2026 RORC North Sea Race after a tightly fought finish to Scheveningen. Racing double-handed with Martijn Graafmans, Jetpack secured the IRC overall win by 22 minutes and 37 seconds…
“North
The 2026 RORC North Sea Race starts on Friday 15th of May with an international fleet set for the 165-nautical mile crossing from Harwich to Scheveningen in the Netherlands. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club with Royal Harwich Yacht Club,…

THE RORC:

  • Established in 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) became famous for the biennial Fastnet Race and the international team event, the Admiral's Cup. It organises an annual series of domestic offshore races from its base in Cowes as well as inshore regattas including the RORC Easter Challenge and the IRC European Championship (includes the Commodores' Cup) in the Solent
  • The RORC works with other yacht clubs to promote their offshore races and provides marketing and organisational support. The RORC Caribbean 600, based in Antigua and the first offshore race in the Caribbean, has been an instant success. The 10th edition took place in February 2018. The RORC extended its organisational expertise by creating the RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada, the first of which was in November 2014
  • The club is based in St James' Place, London, but after a merger with The Royal Corinthian Yacht Club in Cowes now boasts a superb clubhouse facility at the entrance to Cowes Harbour and a membership of over 4,000

At A Glance – RORC 

RORC Race Enquiries:

Royal Ocean Racing Club T: +44 (0) 1983 295144 E: [email protected] W: http://www.rorc.org/

Royal Ocean Racing Club:

20 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NN, Tel: 020 7493 2248 E: [email protected] 

2026 RORC Key dates

Key RORC 2026 dates extracted from the programme:

January–February 2026
• 11 January – RORC Transatlantic Race (Lanzarote to Antigua)
• February (dates vary) – Nelson’s Cup, Antigua
• 23 February – RORC Caribbean 600

May 2026
• 2 May – Cervantes Trophy Race (Cowes to Le Havre)
• 15 May – North Sea Race
• 22–25 May – IRC European Championships, International Poole Regatta
• 23 May – Myth of Malham Race
• 30 May – De Guingand Bowl Race

June 2026
• 12 June – Morgan Cup (Cowes to Dartmouth)
• 20 June – Round Ireland Race (Wicklow)

July 2026
• 3 July – Cowes–Dinard–Saint Malo Race
• 25 July – Channel Race

August 2026
• 8 August – Baltic Sea Race (Helsinki)
• 9 August – Round Britain and Ireland Race (Cowes)
• 26–29 August – IRC National Championship (Dartmouth)

September 2026
• 4 September – Cherbourg Race

October 2026
• 17 October – Rolex Middle Sea Race (counts towards 2027 championship)

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