Argo Wins 2026 RORC Caribbean 600 in Thrilling MOD70 Battle

ANTIGUA – Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA) has claimed Multihull Line Honours in the 2026 RORC Caribbean 600, completing the grueling 600-nautical-mile course in an elapsed time of 1 day, 12 hours, 1 minute and 46 seconds. The victory came after a fierce, race-long battle with Jon Desmond’s MOD70 Final Final – Zoulou, which finished just over three minutes behind.

The two MOD70 trimarans were separated by a mere one mile at the finish line off Fort Charlotte, Antigua – an astonishingly small margin after nearly 600 miles of high-speed racing around 11 Caribbean islands. The contest wasn’t simply a test of speed, often exceeding 30 knots, but a complex tactical duel decided by a crucial maneuver from Argo in the closing stages.

A Clean Start and Early Lead

Argo secured an early advantage by winning the start by approximately 100 meters, skillfully navigating the narrow gap between the pin end traffic and the cliffs at the Pillars of Hercules. “We expected it to be crowded,” said Carroll, reflecting on the 11-boat Multihull start. “We knew we’d be faster than most of the fleet and that we’d have to make our way through. We ducked the line slightly late, but we felt comfortable we could tack and cross. We weren’t sure we’d be across Final Final – Zoulou, but we were, by about a length.”

This initial lead translated into a steady advantage. At Green Island, Argo was ahead by 1 minute and 24 seconds. The margin grew throughout the northern loop: 8 minutes 14 seconds at Barbuda, 11 minutes 29 seconds at Nevis, and 11 minutes 34 seconds at Saba. Carroll noted that conditions throughout the race differed from previous editions, particularly behind Nevis.

“Normally behind Nevis it’s one of my favourite parts of the race; flat water, 20-25 knots, a fast reach. This time it was a run. We probably did 20 gybes where normally we’d just reach straight to Saba. It became a game of finding pressure in a narrow lane all the way down the west coast of the islands.”

By St. Barts, the lead narrowed slightly to 8 minutes 36 seconds, before expanding again at St. Maarten (12 minutes 6 seconds). By Tintamarre, Argo appeared to be firmly in control.

Zoulou Stays in Contention

Despite Argo’s early dominance, Final Final – Zoulou, chartered by Jon Desmond, remained a persistent threat. Desmond, while experienced in inshore multihull racing, was navigating a MOD70 in the RORC Caribbean 600 for the first time. “Our expectations were simple,” Desmond said. “We wanted to go around an awesome race course, stay as close to Argo as we could and learn as much as possible. That’s one of the best teams in the world. We’re newer to the boat. The goal was to stay in the hunt and we did.”

The northern islands became a prolonged tactical exchange, with Zoulou strategically sailing further offshore at times to seek favorable pressure. “We snuck back underneath Saba,” Desmond explained. “Sometimes these boats look miles apart, but that’s only a couple of miles — and at 30 knots you close that very quickly.”

Guadeloupe: A Dramatic Shift

A pivotal moment arrived in the wind shadow west of Guadeloupe, an area notorious for unpredictable reversals, often called the ‘Guadeloupe Casino.’ Argo entered the lee with a comfortable advantage, believing that staying inshore would provide the most consistent pressure. However, this proved incorrect.

“Guadeloupe is always our nemesis,” Carroll admitted. “We often get there first and leave last. This time was no different.” Argo slowed dramatically in patchy breeze, allowing Final Final – Zoulou to seize the opportunity, sailing a more offshore lane and surging past at 20 knots.

“At one point they were almost parked and we were going fast,” Desmond recalled. “It’s amazing how fast it flips. We found a little more breeze maybe a quarter mile outside of them.” By Les Saintes, Final Final – Zoulou led by 10 minutes 18 seconds – the first time they had genuinely been ahead in the race.

The Final Push and a Close Finish

The psychological momentum had shifted, but Argo responded quickly, reducing the deficit to 5 minutes 13 seconds at Les Desirade and then to just 1 minute 10 seconds at Barbuda for the second rounding. The final 35 miles to Antigua became a blistering match-race, with both boats frequently exceeding 30 knots.

“It was like driving across the country on a dirt road in the rain with your head stuck out the window,” Desmond said. “Thirty knots apparent in your face the entire time. Absolutely wild.”

At Redonda, Final Final – Zoulou held a 2 minute 56 second advantage. Argo then executed a decisive tactical maneuver. “We talked about doing two tacks in quick succession,” Carroll said. “The idea was to catch them off guard.” This double-tack created separation, allowing Argo to gain clear air and edge ahead.

Argo crossed the finish line first, with Final Final Zoulou following just four minutes later.

Respect and Recognition

Despite the intense competition, the atmosphere ashore was one of mutual respect. “They did an incredible job,” Carroll said of Final Final Zoulou. “For it being their fourth or fifth day on a MOD70, that was really impressive.”

Desmond echoed this sentiment. “Argo is one of the best teams in the world,” he said. “The fact that we were duking it out with them for the last couple hundred miles was so special.”

Argo’s winning crew comprised Jason Carroll, Chad Corning, Alister Richardson, Brian Thompson, Charles Ogletree, James Dodd, Pete Cumming and Sam Goodchild. Carroll emphasized the importance of teamwork. “This team has been together for many years. They’ve done a lot of sailing. Every manoeuvre was crisp. They were on point the whole way around.”

Both skippers praised the RORC Caribbean 600 as a premier offshore race, highlighting its challenging course, guaranteed breeze, and well-organized event management.