By Isle of Wight Observer
It’s back to Cowes for the Admiral’s Cup 2025 edition, and it has been away far too long. Cowes hosted the first cup back in 1957, and played host for all the other editions until 1999. One edition was sailed elsewhere in 2003, but after that the event was put on hold by organisers, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), until this year.
Island residents and visitors can take the opportunity to see some of the world’s top sailors and boats, with the racing taking place off our shores. The start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, which forms the end race of the cup meeting, is a spectacular sight, with not only the Admiral’s Cup boats but more than 400 other craft. After the Cowes start, this race finishes in Cherbourg, France, and is of course sailed via the Fastnet Rock, off southern Ireland, and covers a distance of more than 600 miles.
Head to Cowes, from July 18 to 26, to see the action. Details of races are on the RORC website, or follow further action until August 1, when the presentations will take place in France.
For the 2025 edition, The Admiral’s Cup series is contested by two-boat teams from yacht clubs around the world, with 15 teams taking part. This series is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The Rolex Fastnet Race is hosted in association with the Yacht Club de Cherbourg and the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes.
The 2025 Admiral’s Cup is shaping up to be one of the most compelling editions in the event’s history, featuring some of the sport’s elite.