2026 Newport Bermuda Race starts tomorrow from iconic Fort Adams

Newport to Bermuda Race © Stephen R Cloutier

The countdown is nearly over and the 54th Newport Bermuda Race starts tomorrow, Friday, June 19 from Rhode Island's iconic Fort Adams. Cheering on the fleet as it heads toward the Gulf Stream will be thousands of sailing enthusiasts on shore at the Starting Line Festival, which is free and open to the public.

Tomorrow's first warning is at 1:00 p.m. EDT with the first start scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and rolling starts every 10 minutes afterwards Start groupings are posted to the Official Notice Board. The Festival opens to the public at 11:00 a.m. and runs until 4:00 p.m.

The race's start will also be broadcast as part of the Starting Line Live Show Powered by Ørsted which will feature dramatic live shots of the fleet and expert commentary from Andy Green and Tucker Thompson.

For the first time in the race's history, the Gulf Stream Show Powered by Palm Beach Motor Yachts will provide updates, analysis, and interviews with crew from the passage between Newport and Bermuda. The show will be broadcast daily and posted to BermudaRace.com, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

"We could not be more excited to put on our second Starting Line Festival at Fort Adams," said Race Chair Andrew Kallfelz. "For this year's historic race, we wanted to make it easier than ever for fans in Rhode Island, Bermuda, and around the world to follow the fleet from start to finish. Between the Festival, Starting Line Live Show, and the Gulf Stream Show, all the action of the Thrash to the Onion Patch will be covered."

There was palpable excitement amongst the sailors at Wednesday night's Gosling's Crew Party hosted by Newport Shipyard. "It is an absolute honor for our team from the Naval Academy to be sailing in the Newport Bermuda Race," said Midshipman Aden Newman, skipper of Wahoo. "[The Academy's] team first did the race in 1936 and to be here 90 years later and be in contention to win the whole thing is the honor of a lifetime. The Nave is all about a challenge and we have a lot of young sailors who don't get seasick, so we are ready to play the game hard."

Sailing in her first Bermuda Race in the Double-Handed Division aboard Kent Racing with Tim Kent is 20-year-old Rory Meunier Mott. "This race means a lot to me. Doing a double handed event like this at my age is amazing," she said. "I'm looking forward to crossing the finish line and seeing my family on the docks who are coming down to Bermuda to cheer us on. I'm feeling all the emotions but mostly I am super proud of myself."

In addition to 2026 being the 120th anniversary of the race, the Cruising Club of America (CCA) and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) celebrate a century of partnership in organizing the race, having first done so with the 1926 edition. Thanks to this partnership, the race remains one of the world's premier offshore competitions, featuring a history filled with stories of adventure, resilience, and camaraderie.

The 2026 fleet is made up of nearly 150 boats spread across multiple divisions competing for line honors and a host of trophies—including the legendary St. David's Lighthouse Trophy. Teams and sailors from across the globe have arrived in Newport for the start, including Bermuda's national tall ship Spirit of Bermuda. Several legendary yachts are also lining up at the start. Gesture won the 1946 Bermuda Race and is back to take on the Thrash yet again. Carina and Hound will rehash their neck-and-neck race from 2024. The largest boat in the fleet, 100-foot Black Jack 100 aims to break the race record set 10 years ago.

There are more ways than ever before to follow the action of the 2026 Bermuda Race. In addition to the Starting Line Live Show and Gulf Stream Show, the fleet can be followed in real time using the Palm Beach Motor Yachts YB Race Tracker. Throughout the week of the race, updates will be posted on Instagram, Facebook, and BermudaRace.com. Be sure to also sign up for our newsletter for additional daily updates.

The Bermuda Race festivities continue as the boats reach their destination, with parties and events on the docks of RBYC and around Bermuda Sunday through Saturday, June 27. The 2026 Prize Giving will take place at Bermuda's Government House and will be Eight ways to follow the race here.