Overseas Boats Drive Round Ireland 2026 Fleet Toward 30

 

The entry list for the Round Ireland Yacht Race 2026 has grown again, with five more boats registered since Afloat’s last early bird entry rate update. 

The additions bring the fleet to 29 entries, with 19 of them visiting boats from outside Ireland. The last race in 2024 had a final entry of 48 boats.

The latest yachts to join the list include Aruba, a Pogo RC entered by Tanguy Bouroullec, and the Class40 Maccaferri Futura skippered by Italy’s Luca Rosetti.

Irish entries among the latest additions include the return of Cinnamon Girl, the Sun Fast 3300 entered by doublehanders of Sam Hunt and Cian McCarthy of Kinsale Yacht Club.

Early March entry numbers appear broadly in line with the same stage of the previous race cycle.

Despite the availability of a reduced entry fee for boats registering before the end of February, fewer Irish boats than expected appear to have entered early.

The largest yacht currently on the list is Venomous, a Carroll Marine 60, although she may not be among the most competitive boats on corrected time.

Attention may instead centre on a trio of 43-footers entered so far, including two Ker 43 designs and John Treanor’s NMD 43 Cristina.

However, larger and faster yachts could still join the fleet in the coming months as teams assess the competition and the potential for an open line honours contest.

Howth Yacht Club’s John Murphy, the 2025 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race champion, has also entered the J/109 Outrageous.

Meanwhile, Noel Coleman has registered the Oyster 37 Blue Oyster, representing the Royal Cork Yacht Club.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, early entries showed a strong international trend in the fleet.

That pattern continues, with a majority of entries coming from the UK and European offshore racing circuits.

The race starts from Wicklow Harbour on Saturday 20 June 2026, organised by Wicklow Sailing Club in association with the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club.

The 704-nautical-mile course runs clockwise around Ireland, leaving all islands to starboard except Rockall.

Entries paid in full before the end of February qualified for an early entry discount of up to €400.

The closing date for entries is 31 May 2026, although applications after that date may be accepted at the discretion of the organising authority.