Caribbean 600 Drawing Big Crowd

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s inaugural RORC Caribbean 600 looks likely to get off to a good start. It will be even stronger if an anticipated first — a head-to-head battle between the two 100-ft super maxis, Mike Slade’s much modified Farr-designed Leopard and Alex Jackson’s Juan K-designed Virgin Money/Speedboat — comes to fruition.

Since the announcement earlier this year by the RORC and Antigua Yacht Club to hold the first-ever offshore race to circumnavigate the Caribbean Islands, interest in the race has been flooding in, according to the club. George David’s much-modified R/P 90 Rambler, winner of the 2007 Rolex Middle Sea Race, is joining the battle with Leopard and Speedboat. Peter Harrison’s 115-ft super yacht Sojana is a definite entry, and classic yachts such as the 155-ft schooner Windrose and J Class Velsheda are also probables.

The RORC Caribbean 600 Race starts on February 23 off Fort Charlotte outside English Harbour, Antigua. The 605-mile non-stop race around the Leeward Islands takes the fleet to the north, passing a mark off Barbuda, the islands of Nevis, Saba and St. Barths, to circle St. Martin before heading down to Guadeloupe as the most southerly point, then back up to a mark off Barbuda before returning to finish in Antigua. Entries close on February 5, and boats are encouraged to register their interest in the race by contacting the RORC. More info can be found on the new RORC Caribbean 600 mini-site here.