All eyes turn to leader for signs of Round Ireland Race outcome
by Kyran O'Grady 23 Jun 20:40 BST
23 June 2026
Guy Gillon's Khumbu leads the field on the water as the finishing-line beckons for the 704 nautical-mile Round Ireland Race © David Branigan / Oceansport
After more than three days at sea and plenty of calm weather, breeze finally arrived off the West coast and the Round Ireland Race quickly got up to speed (Tuesday 23rd June 2026). Guy Gillon's Khombu has at last opened up ground on the chasing pack and a finish at Wicklow now in prospect for Wednesday.
Crucial to the leader's fortune's was having enough wind to get past the notorious Rathlin Island tidal gate at the narrows between Ulster and the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. The Botin 56 footer is expected to begin turning south around sunset and should be in the Irish Sea by morning.
If the forecasts stay true, Gillon's crew could carry a favourable wind straight down to Wicklow to take line honours for first boat home.
"While Ireland basks in Mediterranean-type weather, our race crews are holding their collective nerve in the best possible conditions to view the spectacular scenery along Ireland's coast," commented Kyran O'Grady, Race Director for Wicklow Sailing Club. "Whenever they arrive back here, we'll be waiting with Wicklow Sailing Club's legendary cooked breakfast for the weary finishers."
But long before finishing can be considered, the remaining 50 boats will be watching nervously as the breeze is expected to die off in the early hour of the morning.
Lucky boats will carry a favourable flood tide past Rathlin but others may need to anchor once again in the race to avoid being swept back towards the Atlantic.
With entries strung out around the coast from Donegal to Galway, a compression effect could see a restart and provisional race standings upended, thus favouring the smaller lower rated boats.
A further scenario is that Khombu cruises swiftly to the finish and the wind shuts down, blocking the route south and raising the prospect of the on the water leader taking the overall win as well.
The coming 48 hours will be a weather lottery with much at stake.
Track the fleet here.