Sailing-Caribbean speed demons prepare for 600-mile island-hopping duel

Advertisement Sport Sailing-Caribbean speed demons prepare for 600-mile island-hopping duel FILE PHOTO: Sailing - 2026 RORC Transatlantic Race - Arrecife, Lanzarote, Spain - January 11, 2026 MOD70 Zoulou heads towards the first mark in the RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Antigua REUTERS/Ossian Shine/File Photo 19 Feb 2026 07:26PM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST Feb 19 : Two mighty MOD70 trimarans capable of sustained speeds above 30 knots will headline a high-octane showdown when nearly 500 sailors from 40 countries tackle the 17th RORC Caribbean 600 next week.Jason Carroll's Argo and Jon Desmond's Final Final – Zoulou are set for an all-out rip-speed duel in the tradewinds around 11 Caribbean islands, with both American-flagged flying machines boasting all-star crews and recent form that suggests a photo finish after 600 miles of racing.Argo arrives with vast experience and in formidable form after taking line honours in the RORC Transatlantic Race, but Zoulou finished just two and a half hours behind after 3,000 miles – setting up what promises to be a nail-biting encounter when the race starts on Monday.For Desmond, stepping into his first multihull RORC 600 campaign represents a leap into uncharted waters after years of monohull racing. Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day. This service is not intended for persons residing in the E.U. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp’s partners. Loading "It's a bit of fate that we're here in a MOD70 this year," he says. "I've followed the MOD70 duels here for years and they're unbelievably close. Argo is the benchmark and the record holder, so if we can stay in the fight with them, I'll be thrilled."The speed transformation is mind-bending."Legs that used to take us eight hours could take two," Desmond said. "You're thinking two manoeuvres ahead at all times. The wind shadow at Guadeloupe is still there, but with this speed you've got more options. That's exciting."Beyond the MOD70 spectacular, the race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club promises compelling battles across all classes.In the monohull division, 100-foot maxis Leopard 3 and Black Jack 100 will duke it out for line honours, while history will be made by Speedy Maltese – the first Mini 6.50 ever to attempt the gruelling 600-mile course threading through acceleration zones and notorious wind shadows.“It’s a big challenge,” said Speedy Maltese skipper Timothee Villain-Amirat. “But with strong wind and a lot of reaching, maybe we can create a David and Goliath story.” Source: Reuters Newsletter Recommended Read Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day. Sign up for our newsletters Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox Subscribe here Get the CNA app Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories Download here Get WhatsApp alerts Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app Join here Advertisement Also worth reading Content is loading... Advertisement Expand to read the full story Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST