Although the race began on Sunday afternoon local time in the Canary Islands, it was already early Monday morning in New Zealand when the first boats crossed the line, setting off on the 3,000-mile passage to Antigua.
Conditions off Arrecife delivered exactly what offshore sailors hope for at the start of a transocean race. The breeze settled in from the north-east, sitting comfortably in the low to mid-teens, with flat water near shore allowing crews to focus on execution rather than survival.
The fleet departed from Marina Lanzarote before rounding the mark off Puerto Calero, at which point bows were turned south and the race quickly transitioned from coastal management to open-ocean mode.
A start without incident
For a fleet that includes everything from high-powered multihulls to double-handed monohulls, the opening phase unfolded with notable calm.
There were no reported issues on the start line and no early retirements, a credit to both the race organisation and the discipline shown by crews keen to avoid unnecessary risks so early in a long Atlantic crossing.
Rather than aggressive line-hunting or close-quarters manoeuvring, the opening hours were marked by boats stretching into clear air, settling into sail configurations, and beginning the process of finding a sustainable rhythm for the days ahead.
Race officials later confirmed that the fleet cleared the islands cleanly, allowing competitors to focus fully on the weather and positioning rather than traffic.
Early signs among the monohulls
As the fleet began to fan out, early patterns started to emerge among the monohulls.
The Mach 50 Palanad 4, skippered by Olivier Magre, was quick to establish herself near the front on the water, while the Swan 128 Be Cool and the Carkeek 45 Ino Noir also featured prominently as the fleet moved offshore.
Further west, the Baltic 111 Raven pushed into open water early, showing sustained pace as she worked south of the rhumb line. Tracker data in the opening phase showed her maintaining speeds in the mid-teens, an early indication of intent rather than a short-lived burst.
On corrected time, Ino Noir emerged as an early reference, benefitting from disciplined sail selection and a clean lane away from the larger boats.
Multihulls step clear
The multihull start, run separately, quickly delivered a very different tempo.
The MOD70s Argo and Zoulou wasted little time once clear of the coast. Argo rounded the Puerto Calero mark first before both boats accelerated south, their speed advantage immediately apparent as they moved into consistent pressure.
With stable conditions forecast for the opening days, the multihulls were able to settle quickly into their stride, building separation while avoiding the temptation to push unnecessarily hard so early in the race.
A fleet of contrasts
While much of the attention naturally falls on the fastest boats, the RORC Transatlantic Race continues to showcase a broad cross-section of offshore sailing.
At the smaller end of the fleet is Stimmy, a Sun Fast 3300 sailed double-handed by Ari Huusela. As the smallest boat on the course, her progress will be measured in steady miles rather than headline speeds, with reliability and crew management central to the campaign.
Also on the start line is Walross 4, a German student-crewed entry that highlights the accessibility of the race to teams prepared to meet its demands. Their presence reinforces the event’s reputation as a test of preparation and endurance as much as outright performance.
© SAILING ENERGY
Settling into the crossing
With the fleet now clear of land, the early emphasis shifts away from starting tactics and toward the longer-term decisions that define a transatlantic race.
Positioning relative to the trade winds, managing sail inventories, and balancing speed against preservation will shape the days ahead. For most crews, the priority is finding a sustainable pace that allows both boat and sailors to settle into life offshore.
For New Zealand followers watching from the opposite side of the world, the race is already well into its first full day at sea. Boats that slipped the dock in Lanzarote on Sunday afternoon are now deep into the rhythm of the Atlantic, chasing pressure west toward the Caribbean.
If the opening phase is any indication, the 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race has begun on the best possible footing, calm, controlled, and with the fleet free to let the ocean decide what comes next.
