Records crown RORC Nelson's Cup finale
by Louay Habib / RORC 21 Feb 16:46 GMT
17-20 February 2026
Overall victory for the Welsh J/125 Jackknife in the 2026 RORC Nelson's Cup Series © Tim Wright / RORC
2026 Antigua 360 - the finale of the RORC Nelson's Cup Series
The fourth edition of the RORC Nelson's Cup Series came to a conclusion with the Antigua 360 Race, organised in partnership with the Antigua Yacht Club. The race around Antigua was blessed with superb conditions for a spectacular finale to the 2026 RORC Nelson's Cup Series. Beneath blazing tropical sunshine and sapphire Caribbean skies, 25 teams representing more than 10 nations lined up for the 48-mile showdown around Antigua.
RORC Race Officer Nigel Biggs sets the scene for the start line of the RORC Antigua 360 Race: "We've got classic Caribbean conditions for the Antigua 360; east-southeast breeze around 18 to 20 knots, a little bit choppy up towards the first corner and some white tops out there, so it could be a wet beat up to Green Island. The starts were clean overall; a couple of boats were OCS but returned correctly, so the line is clear and everyone is safely under way. Boats generally favoured the shore end, but they were pretty sensible and conservative. All in all, it's a lovely day in the trade winds: sunshine, steady pressure and proper racing conditions."
Argo unleashed: MOD70 shattering the Antigua 360 record
Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo smashed the Antigua 360 race record, completing the 48-mile lap in 2 Hrs 29 Mins 20 Secs. The high-speed trimaran delivered a commanding performance around Antigua, laying down a marker ahead of the RORC Caribbean 600.
"It was a fantastic lap in beautiful conditions," said Jason Carroll. "We saw about 20 knots at the start, went with one reef and sailed relatively conservatively, apart from one costly tack. To set a new record around Antigua is special, and it's great to be back pushing with the team."
"Once you turn at Green Island and light it up, the boat really comes alive," added Sam Goodchild. "You're into the mid-30s and everything has to be precise. It's a great test before the 600, now it's about fine tuning and being fully dialled in for the RORC Caribbean 600."
Farr 100 Leopard 3 with Joost Schuijf at the helm took Monohull Line Honours, winning the IRC Maxi Class and setting a new course record for the Antigua 360 of 3 Hrs 32 Mins 58 Secs. After a thrilling battle with three other 100 footers, Galateia, V and Black Jack 100, Leopard's Chris Sherlock commented:
"It was sensational racing, four 100-footers absolutely boat for boat around Antigua. We had built a solid lead around the top of the island, but a furler issue meant we had a problem to sort out and suddenly all three boats rolled over us. That was disappointing, but we held on down the run and knew once we turned upwind we were strong. The question was whether we had enough race track left. We managed to get them back by a boat length at the finish, you can't ask for more than that.
"The work we've done on the boat has paid off. We're very strong upwind and far more competitive across a wider wind range than this time last year. Looking ahead to the '600, if there's more upwind and plenty of breeze, that suits us just fine. We love it. It's going to be a great showdown with Black Jack but we'll sail our own race."
The overall winner under IRC of the RORC Antigua 360 and the RORC Nelson's Cup Series was Sam Hall's J/125 Jackknife. It was as close as it gets for the series win with Jackknife winning on countback from Niklas Zennstrom's Carkeek 52 Rán.
"It's really special to win the RORC Nelson's Cup overall," commented Sam Hall. "The Jackknife team is a bunch of mates that have pulled together to race and she is the boat that I started sailing on with my dad. To win against such an incredible array of talent is more than we had hoped for and a very special moment. We will take on the RORC Caribbean 600 next and the team is really motivated to do the best we can in a great race. We will give everything we have got."
IRC Maxi Class
Although the Antigua 360 Race was not part of the IRC Maxi Class series, Mills 72 Balthasar, with Filip Balcaen at the helm, was the IRC corrected time winner of the Antigua 360 Race. Just 27 seconds behind Balthasar after IRC time correction was Leopard 3. Wendy Schmidt's Botin 85 Deep Blue was third.
IRC Zero
Niklas Zennstrom's Carkeek 52 Rán won the IRC Zero Class for the Nelson's Cup Series for the third year in succession. Frederic Puzin's Carkeek 54 Daguet 5 was runner-up and James Neville's Carkeek 45 Ino Noir was third.
Rán's Project Manager Tim Powell commented: "Winning IRC Zero for the Series for the third year in a row is a great boost for the team and a great way for us to prepare for the offshore. We all know that the Caribbean 600 is a very different challenge though.
"First, you have to win your IRC class, which we have achieved in the last 2 editions of the 600, but we have very strong opposition this year. The boat and the team are competitive but with new designs and boats arriving the battle becomes harder.
"Overall victory depends on whether the conditions line up with the strengths of your class. The '600 throws everything at you - long reaching legs, tight island corners, upwind sections and transition zones. You can sail a near-perfect race and still find that the weather pattern favours another type of boat. That's what makes this race so difficult to win and such a true offshore test. From the first mile to the finish off Antigua, it's a relentless challenge and that's exactly why we keep coming back."
Frederic Puzin's Daguet 5 was the class winner for the Antigua 360 Race, beating Niklas Zennstrom's Rán by exactly one minute after IRC time correction. James Neville's Ino Noir was third for the race.
"The Antigua 360 Race was exceptional," commented Frederic Puzin. "The water was an incredible colour in the lee of the island! The whole team was completely captivated by the lap around Antigua! We sailed this race in '600 mode'. Every position on board rotated as it would during watches in the '600. We were operating in an offshore mindset rather than a grand prix mode. Up to Green Island we were in close contact with Rán, which is a formidable benchmark for us. After that we focused on our own numbers and our own mode, always with the objective of fine tuning our preparation for the '600. We're happy to have been on the pace for the lap around Antigua but the main job is still to come. See you Monday morning!"
Bruce Chafee's RP42 Rikki was the winner of IRC One for the Nelson's Cup Series and the RORC Antigua 360 Race. The American team look to be in fine form for the forthcoming RORC Caribbean 600. Woody Cullen's Swan 58 WaveWalker, representing the New York Yacht Club, was a solid second for the series and third for the RORC Antigua 360 Race. Local Antiguan RP37 Warthog owned by Jim Voss and skippered by Jules Mitchell was third for the series and second for the Antigua 360 Race. Warthog with a young crew was the best Caribbean boat in the series and for the lap of Antigua.
In the MOCRA Class, MOD70 Argo was the corrected time winner. The Nigel Iren's trimaran Sophia, owned by Marcos Sirota and skippered by Adam Davis was runner-up ahead of Jon Desmond's MOD70 Final Final - Zoulou. The last word should go to Antigua's Olympic Kiteboarder Tiger Tyson who literally flew round Antigua in a time of 2 Hrs 9 Mins 43 Secs.
The prize-giving for the RORC Nelson's Cup Series was held at the Antigua Yacht Club. Master of Ceremonies, RORC CEO Jeremy Wilton also welcomed the army of volunteers that will deliver cold Carib beers and a warm smile to every boat after the RORC Caribbean 600. RORC Commodore Deb Fish presented the prizes for the RORC Nelson's Cup Series and the Antigua 360.
For the full results from the RORC Nelson's Cup Series and the RORC Antigua 360 Race: sailracehq.com/results
The 17th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 will start on Monday 23rd of February, 2026. Starting and finishing in Antigua. The classic Royal Ocean Racing Club's non-stop 600nm race goes around 11 Caribbean islands.