Another First for the Eighth Edition!

Petro Jonker – Chair of the Caribbean Multihull Challenge Race and Rally Steering Committee – announced today the incorporation of an exciting new feature for CMC VIII, set to kick off on the 28th of January 2026. Joining the impressive line up of big boat distance races with podium spots determined by CSA ratings; for 2026 a new set of awards will be in place for vessels winning based on speed over a specific course; i.e. line honors.

According to Jonker, interviews with owners and skippers of the most impressive multihull builds indicate that racing to a rating is fun; but racing with respect to flat out speed is ‘funner’. “Multihull design development is roaring forward with innovations in hull forms, build materials, foils, sails, etc. meaning that owners of the most modern design yachts can reach speeds unheard of in previous years. And the CMC wants to encourage entries from owners of these builds who delight in their ability to race from point A to point B in comfort and with safety. While the CSA ratings system we use is improving all the time, it is still a handicap system racing to a formula and ignoring one of the best features of so many new multihull yachts — SPEED! It is to recognize this that the CMC will in 2026 have an awards system that uses both a CSA rating as well as a Line Honor system to determine champions. We expect that this feature will create an even more diverse and impressive entry list for our event”…says Jonker.

custom-built Banuls 53’ Fujin in a previous CMC edition. Photo by Laurens Morel