Latest news with #Admiral'sCup
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘On a boat full of men you learn how to get on with their snoring. Most of the time you're absolutely exhausted and you just pass out'
Sligo sailor Lauren Donaghy will break new water this week when she becomes one of the first Irish women to compete in the Admiral's Cup.
Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Sailing–Admiral's Cup revival draws world's elite to Cowes
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LONDON - After a two-decade hiatus, the Admiral's Cup returns to Cowes this month, drawing a top-tier international fleet of teams packed with America's Cup veterans, Olympic medallists and offshore specialists competing for one of sailing's most coveted trophies. The 2025 event, from July 17-August 1, features a series of inshore and offshore races in the Solent, culminating in the 100th anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race. The team with the best combined score across all races will win the Admiral's Cup. Among the frontrunners, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Karl Kwok helms Beau Geste, bringing together Gavin Brady (six America's Cup campaigns for New Zealand), four-time Cup winner Simon Daubney, and Britain's double Olympic medallist Nic Rogers. New York Yacht Club's Black Pearl, skippered by Germany's Stefan Jentzsch, features British veteran Paul Standbridge, calling this Admiral's Cup his farewell after five round-the-world races and more than 15 Fastnets. Italy's Django WR51—representing the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda—lines up with Vasco Vascotto, owner of more than 25 world titles, alongside a seasoned international crew. The Netherlands are sending a new wave -- the Dutch Offshore Sailing Team's ROST VanUden is skippered by Volvo Ocean Race veteran Gerd-Jan Poortman, but his teenage crew weren't born when the Dutch last lifted the Cup in 1999. Nicklas Zennstrom leads the Royal Swedish Yacht Club's Ran 8, with Ireland's Justin Slattery, a double Volvo winner, on board. Ran remains the only modern team to defend the Fastnet Challenge Cup with the same boat. Another Swede, Daniel Baum, enters the fleet's only wooden yacht, the Tison 48 Elida representing the Hamburg Sailing Team. Elida's secret weapon is the Isle of Wight's James Gair in its crew -- he has 14 Rolex Fastnet Races on his CV and an expert knowledge of the Solent. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the Admiral's Cup is a team-based offshore sailing event where yacht clubs represent their countries. Each team typically fields two boats — one larger and one smaller — chosen by the club based on performance and eligibility. Crews are selected by the clubs and often include a mix of top professionals, Olympic medallists and offshore race veterans. While sailors can be international, teams race under their club's national flag. REUTERS
Irish Independent
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Sligo sailor is one of first women to represent Ireland in prestigious Admiral's Cup: ‘I never really thought I'd get those opportunities'
Growing up as a female in what she describes as a male dominated sport, Sligo native Lauren Donaghy never thought she would be afforded some of the opportunities that she has experienced. The 24-year-old, who grew up in Rosses Point before moving to Strandhill, is no stranger to breaking down barriers, and she will do that again later this month as she will become one of the first women to represent an Irish team at the prestigious Admiral's Cup alongside Cliodhna Connolly of Royal Cork.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yachting: Casiraghi triumphs in the Solent, Yacht Club de Monaco now eyes the Admiral's Cup
MONACO, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pierre Casiraghi has claimed victory at the helm of 'Jolt 6' in the British IRC National Championship, overcoming fierce competition in the challenging waters of the Solent. The regatta, held in Cowes as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, marks a key milestone in the Yacht Club de Monaco's preparation for the 24th Admiral's Cup (17 July – 1 August 2025). Competing in the IRC 1 category, 'Jolt 6' outpaced a strong line-up. 'Winning this event in Cowes in typical Solent conditions, with an unstable 10-18 knot westerly, was a real challenge. The shifting wind and tidal current transitions made for a very tactical race, but our boat, quick in light airs, made the difference on key tacks,' said Casiraghi, YCM's Vice-President, who stood out against a field of professional helmsmen. The result confirms the strong momentum of the 'Jolt' project, spearheaded by YCM member Peter Harrison, and fuels the ambitions of the team ahead of the prestigious international competition organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). The 2025 edition is set to feature 14 teams from 13 nations, including the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, and the New York Yacht Club, a three-time winner of the Admiral's Cup. Flying the flag of Monaco, Team Jolt will field two complementary boats: the TP52 'Jolt 3', helmed by Peter Harrison, and the Carkeek 42 'Jolt 6', skippered by Casiraghi. Both crews have been engaged for months in a structured programme of training and international racing. Casiraghi credited the crew's performance as decisive: 'I'd like to highlight the exceptional work put in by our cosmopolitan crew of ten sailors, including Ben Saxton on tactics, Will Harris on navigation and Joey Newton and Cole Brauer on trimming. Their precision was the deciding factor. Being the only non-pro helmsman against sailors like Dean Barker, America's Cup winner, is a huge motivation for me. Competing against them pushes me to give my very best.' 'Jolt 3' also delivered a strong performance: with Peter Harrison at the helm and Ed Baird on tactics, the TP52 finished third in the IRC 0 category, following its victory at the RORC Easter Challenge in April. 'This latest victory is an important step, but the level will be even higher for the Admiral's Cup, as there will be teams there very hard to beat. We must continue to train with rigour and determination to meet this new challenge,' Casiraghi concluded. His focus is now on building a tightly coordinated, responsive team capable of handling any scenario with clarity in communication and top-level technical execution. The preparation is aimed at mastering one of the sport's most demanding formats, which alternates between inshore and offshore races, culminating in the iconic Rolex Fastnet Race. The objective is clear: to reach the start line ready to compete at the highest level. For more information:- A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Straits Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Inclusion rule stirs fleet as Admiral's Cup set to resume after two decades
When the Admiral's Cup hoists sail next month after a 22-year absence, every competing yacht will feature at least one woman crew member – a requirement that has sparked both applause and unease among the very sailors it aims to promote. "Honestly... my first reaction was a bit of an eye-roll—are we still having to tell teams to include women?" professional sailor Joy Fitzgerald, who will race aboard PAC 52 Final Final, told "But I also recognise that this rule has opened doors." The Royal Ocean Racing Club's resurrection of what was once considered offshore sailing's unofficial world championship coincides with the club's centenary celebrations. The revamped regatta, running July 17 to August 1 in Cowes, will feature two-boat national teams competing in Solent inshore races and offshore challenges, culminating in the iconic Rolex Fastnet Race. Cole Brauer, who made history last year as the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world, told the sailing website the mandate feels insufficient: "It felt like the bare minimum. While I respect sailing with the guys, I truly believe crews perform better with more women involved." The gender requirement comes as sailing's demographics shift glacially. Nearly a century after Baroness Andre de Neufville became RORC's first female member in 1929, the sport remains stubbornly male-dominated despite women now holding two senior Flag Officer positions at the club. "If we want to normalise women in professional sailing, we need this kind of visible commitment," veteran racer Abby Ehler, representing the New York Yacht Club aboard Black Pearl, told Sail-World, while acknowledging concerns about being seen as "a quota rather than recognised for ability." Olympic sailor Mariana Lobato summed it up: "This rule is a step forward, but ultimately, we want to be chosen for our skills, not just because of a rule." The Admiral's Cup is steering towards inclusion, but lasting change will depend on whether opportunity grows beyond obligation. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
