A private battle at the front
The RORC Transatlantic Race rarely produces quiet winners, but this year’s multihull contest was something else.
Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo crossed the finish line off English Harbour, Antigua, on 16 January 2026, taking multihull line honours and setting a new race record of 4 days, 23 hours, 51 minutes and 15 seconds. Close behind came Erik Maris’ Zoulou, finishing just two hours and 32 minutes later.
From the moment the fleet cleared Lanzarote, the two MOD70s separated themselves from the rest and stayed within striking distance of each other for most of the crossing. Gains were small, losses just as quick, and neither crew ever really broke free.
Built before the start
Argo’s win did not begin in the trades. It began months earlier in Lanzarote.
“Everything mechanical came off the boat,” said skipper Chad Corning. “We scanned it, serviced it, or replaced it. Out there, you cannot second guess the gear.”
That work mattered mid race. Late in the day, vibration was felt through the port rudder. With daylight running out, Alister Richardson went over the stern to investigate and repair the issue.
“If that rudder had gone, that was the race,” Corning said. “There was no option but to fix it.”
Fast days, harder nights
Once into the trade winds, Argo and Zoulou pushed into another mode. Daytime runs sat comfortably above 30 knots. At night, the risk went up.
Helming stints dropped to 45 minutes. Drivers came off cold, soaked, and exhausted. Spray burned eyes. Waves tried to knock the boat sideways. There were moments when crew chose not to take the wheel, and those calls were respected.
Sam Goodchild, comparing the MOD70 to the Ultim trimarans he has raced, summed it up simply. “The MOD70 lets you get closer to the edge. That also means you fall off it quicker.”
No regrets for Zoulou
For Erik Maris, the result carried no frustration.
“We were close almost the whole way,” he said. “Sometimes you win. Sometimes you do not. Without competition like that, the race would mean nothing.”
With the multihulls now home in Antigua, attention turns to the monohull fleet, where Baltic 111 Raven is next expected to finish.
