The Royal Ocean Racing Club Celebrates One Hundred Years
by RORC 9 Dec 15:02 GMT
The Rolex Fastnet Race will highlight the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s centenary racing season in 2025 © Arthur Daniel / RORC
In 2025, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) proudly celebrates 100 years of enthusiasm, innovation, and dedication to yachting and offshore racing.
The RORC Centenary events feature a lively schedule of top-tier racing and fantastic social gatherings. A unique selection of merchandise has been specially crafted to commemorate this significant occasion.
“The 2025 season not only offers thrilling racing but also remarkable social events at our stylish RORC St James’s Clubhouse in London and the newly renovated RORC Cowes Clubhouse on the Isle of Wight,” stated RORC Commodore Deb Fish. “We invite everyone to join us to enjoy this incredible season — a worthy homage to a century of offshore racing excellence.”
An Unforgettable Season of RORC Racing
The 2025 racing season is set to be a remarkable celebration with over 10,000 miles of ocean racing featuring prestigious events across three continents:
January: The 3,000-mile RORC Transatlantic Race kicks off the season from Lanzarote to the spice island of Grenada.
February: The thrilling RORC Caribbean 600 challenges sailors with a fast-paced route around 11 breathtaking Caribbean islands.
April and beyond: The RORC European offshore calendar launches with the continuation of the 16-race RORC Season’s Points Championship, the largest offshore racing series worldwide.
June: The historic West-East Transatlantic Race, tracing back to the 19th century, departs from the New York Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island, heading for Cowes.
July: The Rolex Fastnet Race, marking its centennial, will mesmerize the sailing community as the highlight of the season and the exciting conclusion for the eagerly awaited Admiral’s Cup.
September: The RORC racing season out of Cowes wraps up with the Salcombe Gin RORC Centenary Race and the Offshore Double-Handed World Championship, outstanding events making 2025 a year to remember.
Global Celebrations and Exclusive Keepsakes
With RORC Members located worldwide, the Royal Ocean Racing Club is organizing centenary festivities on an international scale. An exclusive line of merchandise and keepsakes will be introduced to celebrate and remember the RORC Centenary.
Global Celebrations: Hosted by long-standing associated yacht clubs and RORC Members, formal dinners to commemorate the centenary will take place across four continents. Venues include the RORC Cowes Clubhouse, The New York Yacht Club, the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the Yacht Club de France, Amsterdam, Hamburg, The Box Plymouth, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, the Royal Malta Yacht Club, and the CYC of Australia.
RORC Centenary Book: A detailed account of the Club’s growth featuring key milestones from the past 25 years, intended to follow Ian Dear’s previous book that explored the Club’s history up to 2000.
Photographic Exhibition: Showcasing important documents and rare images chronicling the Club’s evolution over a century.
Centenary Merchandise: Featuring a collection of RORC Centenary-themed keepsakes.
For more details, please visit the Royal Ocean Racing Club Centenary page: rorc.org/rorccentenary
