Bumper fleet for the RORC Caribbean 600

ICAP Leopard set to led the charge

Setting off from Antigua on 18 February, the fifth RORC Caribbean 600 has a bumper entry this year.

As RORC Racing Manager, Nick Elliott explains: "We had 30 confirmed entries at the end of 2012 which is twice as many entries as we had the same time last year. It is encouraging to see that the race has captured the imagination of all sizes of yachts with a significant number of entries from yachts less than 50ft as well as much larger yachts, including superyachts, which you would expect to see in the Caribbean. Antigua Yacht Club will be hosting the event once again and since our last race, the club has made many improvements to shore side facilities for yacht crews. All in all, the fifth edition of the race looks all set to be a fantastic event."

Last year's line honours victory went to the 66m carbon fibre ketch Hetairos, in a time of 2 days 2 hours 39 minutes 32 seconds. Of the current confirmed entries for 2013, the 100ft Farr maxi ICAP Leopard is favourite to be the first monohull to finish the course.

"We didn't compete last year because Leopard was undergoing a major refit," commented owner, Mike Slade (read more about the refit here). "Even though we have added a couple of tons with a full interior, Leopard has lost none of her pace. In 2011, we completed the course quicker than Hetairos in 2012 and Leopard has just demolished the IMA Transatlantic Race record, which was set by Hetairos. We know that we are in fine form for the RORC Caribbean 600. George David's Rambler 100 holds the outright course record and that will be very tough to beat, but ICAP Leopard will be giving it their all, as always."

Two of the world's largest schooners are using the RORC Caribbean 600 for another dust-up. The 182ft Adela, which competed against Windrose last year, will have the mighty 203ft Athos as competition. Making her RORC Caribbean 600 debut, Athos has greater overall length, but the two schooners are evenly matched and both yachts have enjoyed a friendly rivalry throughout the 2012 superyacht season.

Other impressive maxi yachts competing include Peter Harrison's Farr 115 Sojana and Filip Balcaen's 112ft supermaxi Nilaya. Both yachts competed in the IMA Transatlantic Race and after more than nine days at sea, they finished less than five hours apart. They will be joined by the PY-100 Liara and Didier Lacombe's 92ft Med Spirit (the Welbourn-designed former Bols).

At least nine Swans will taking part in the race competing for the Swan Caribbean Challenge Trophy.

Last year's overall winner, Niklas Zennström's JV72 Rán 2 will not be competing and this year's race favourite will be Hap Fauth's JV72 Mini Maxi, Bella Mente. Last summer, Bella Mente was crowned Rolex Mini Maxi World Champion, defeating Rán by the narrowest of margins and the RORC Caribbean 600 is the start of an intense offshore program for 2013 that will also includes the Rolex Fastnet Race and then the Sydney Hobart.

An overall win for Bella Mente is far from certain. Rán's winning time of 3 days 11 hours 49 minutes was beaten by seven yachts in the 2011 race. The strength of the trade winds and conditions experienced at different parts of the course can be a big factor in winning overall, as well as taking the right tactical decisions. Last year, Ross Applebey's Oyster 48 Scarlet Logic came very close to winning the race. Applebey will be competing again and expects a close encounter with Philippe Falle's Deep Blue Racing Team on Trustmarque Quokka.

Making his third appearance in the race is Ron O'Hanley in his Cookson 50 Privateer and could be a good outside bet to win as Adrian Lee's Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners won the inaugural RORC Caribbean 600 in 2009.

Joining the battle is the winner of the RORC Racing Division of the ARC 2012, Austrian Christof Petter in his Class40 Vaquita. He will have other Class40s to play with including Peter Harding's 40 Degrees and Marc Lepesqueux's Sensation.

The race has always attracted UK members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and this year is no exception. RORC Commodore Mike Greville has chartered CM 60 Venomous for the race and Andrew McIrvine, who has taken over from Chris Little as Admiral of the RORC, will be part of the crew of the Najad 57 Weir Kraken, which is skippered by former RORC Commodore, David Aisher. The Weir Kraken crew is entirely made up of members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron.

Among the multihulls, Olivier Vigoureux, boat captain of Peter Aschenbrenner's ballistic trimaran, Paradox has confirmed that their 63ft Nigel Irens design will be competing: 'We can definitely go faster this year, given the right conditions. Ideally we would like 20 knots of wind, then we might just be able to keep up with Leopard. The course record set by Region Guadeloupe in the first race will be very difficult for Paradox to beat as we have more weight and less sail area, but who knows, if we get the right conditions, anything can happen."

Lloyd Thornburg's Gunboat 66 Phaedo returns to RORC Caribbean 600 action, having won the Multihull Class in 2011. For the 2013 edition, Jules Verne record holder, Brian Thompson will be part of the crew. However, Phaedo will face a close battle on the water with the latest Gunboat 66 to be launched, Slim, skippered by South African Travis McGarry.