RORC Transatlantic Race
On Sunday 10 January 2027 the fleet leaves Marina Lanzarote, Arrecife, for about 3,000 nm across the Atlantic to Antigua. An independent spectator's guide: the course, the start, the finish, and how to follow boats on the way.
Photo: Michiel1972 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The course
- About 3,000 nm: out of Marina Lanzarote, into the Atlantic and west with the trade winds to Antigua. There are no marks to round on the way; each crew draws its own line south and west.
Where to watch
- The Marina Lanzarote waterfront in Arrecife is the place to see the fleet leave on start day.
- In Antigua, finishers come into English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour; the waterfront gives a close view of arrivals.
AIS and following the fleet
- All yachts carry satellite trackers for this race, per the organiser, and the organiser runs a fleet tracker. That is the complete picture across the Atlantic.
- AIS can show boats near Lanzarote at the start and again near Antigua at the finish, where shore receivers cover the coast. Mid-ocean, ordinary AIS is out of shore range, so gaps are normal.
- Boat names repeat and AIS names can lag behind racing names. If you follow one yacht, check its flag, boat type and MMSI rather than the name alone.
What to expect
- Ocean racers built for downwind trade-wind sailing: the organiser's early-entry announcements include Volvo 70s, performance multihulls and Class40s.
- A race of weather routing as much as speed: crews choose how far south to dive for the trade winds.
- The first finishers reach Antigua after roughly a week or more at sea; the fleet arrives over many days.
Plan your visit
- The Royal Ocean Racing Club lists the start for Sunday 10 January 2027 from Marina Lanzarote, with the finish in Antigua.
- Entries and race documents are published by the organiser; early contenders were announced in autumn 2026 and more entries were expected.
- Checked October 2026 on the organiser's site; confirm the programme before you travel.
Sailing nearby: Lanzarote and La Graciosa
From Arrecife, the island of La Graciosa off Lanzarote's north coast is a popular day sail in settled weather, with anchorages on its south side.
The Canaries have strong acceleration zones between the islands; plan inter-island passages with a forecast in hand. Checked October 2026.
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