THE Royal Ocean Racing Club has confirmed that the 2026 edition of the Round Britain and Ireland Race will start and finish in Cowes on the Isle of Wight next summer.
Marking its 50th anniversary, the 1,805-nautical mile offshore classic returns to its roots, with Cowes once again at the heart of the action.
The event will start from Cowes on Sunday, August 9, 2026.
First held in 1976, the Round Britain and Ireland Race challenges crews to circumnavigate the British Isles — leaving all islands and rocks to starboard, including the famous Muckle Flugga in Shetland, the northernmost point of the British Isles.
The course demands exceptional endurance and seamanship, navigating notorious headlands, tidal gates and exposed offshore stretches.
Open to IRC monohulls, multihulls, IMOCA and Class40 yachts, the race has seen iconic performances from Islanders who won the John Illingworth Trophy for IRC Overall, including Derek Saunders in 2000 sailing Incisor of Wight, a Corby 45, and Richard Palmer in 2022 in Jangada, a JPK 1010.
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