Race for the Admiral's Cup nears tense conclusion during the Rolex Fastnet Race, with tight competition amongst sailors
Monaco Wins Revived 2025 Admiral's Cup in Dramatic Fastnet Race Finale
The Yacht Club de Monaco has secured victory in the revived 2025 Admiral's Cup, winning the climactic Rolex Fastnet Race by a 19-point margin over the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The Italian Yacht Club Costa Smeralda completed the podium in third place.
The Rolex Fastnet Race, held from Cowes to Plymouth and back via the Fastnet Rock, served as the final event of the Admiral's Cup series. The tight competition throughout the race resulted in multiple boats finishing closely together during a tense night in Cherbourg, and final positions were confirmed after protest deadlines.
Before the Fastnet Race, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club had led the overall team standings, having extended their lead over Monaco to 8 points following races in the Solent. However, the Monaco team made up ground and ultimately surpassed Hong Kong with a strong offshore showing in the Fastnet Race.
The Yacht Club de Monaco fielded two boats in the race, Jolt 6 skippered by Pierre Casiraghi and Jolt 3 skippered by Peter Harrison. Their strong performance in the Fastnet Race proved decisive for the overall win.
In the smaller class AC2, James Murray's 42ft Callisto (RNZYS) clinched the victory for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
In the big boat fleet (AC1), Giovani Stronati's WallyRocket51 Django took top spot, leading by a thin margin over Peter Harrison's Jolt 3 (YCM) and Karl Kwok's Beau Ideal (RHKYC).
The first day of inshore races in the RORC Admiral's Cup 2025 saw close competition, with a 15-20 knot sou'wester against an outgoing tide making for a punchy windward/leeward race. This resulted in the dismasting of Carl-Peter Foster's TP52 Red Bandit. Day 2 of Solent racing was frustrating due to a sketchy northerly airstream.
The forecast for the Rolex Fastnet Race suggests lighter airs, a stark contrast to the conditions experienced in the inshore races.
With the conclusion of the Rolex Fastnet Race and the results finalized, the focus now likely shifts to post-event celebrations and analysis. The Fastnet Race was the last and deciding race of the series, so no further races in the Admiral’s Cup are expected immediately after.
Table of Positions
| Position | Team | Key Details | |----------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------| | 1st | Yacht Club de Monaco | Won overall by 19 points; boats Jolt 6 & Jolt 3; strong Fastnet performance[1][3] | | 2nd | Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club | Led after inshore series; finished 19 points behind Monaco[1][5] | | 3rd | Yacht Club Costa Smeralda | Completed the podium[3] |
The 2025 revival of the Admiral’s Cup, combining inshore and offshore races culminating in the Rolex Fastnet Race, has restored an important heritage in offshore racing and provided a new competitive blueprint for major trophies[4].
For those interested in the upcoming Rolex Fastnet Race, note that the 2025 Fastnet Race already served as the finale of this Admiral's Cup series this year, so no upcoming Fastnet Race is pending in this cycle[1][3]. The focus may now be on reviewing this event and planning for the next Admiral's Cup cycle or other offshore events.
[1] RORC [2] Yacht Club de Monaco [3] Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club [4] Yacht Club Costa Smeralda [5] Admiral's Cup 2025
Sports enthusiasts worldwide will be discussing the incredible victory of the Yacht Club de Monaco in the revived 2025 Admiral's Cup, particularly the capacitating Rolex Fastnet Race. The club clinched the series by a 19-point margin over the second-place Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, with the Fastnet Race proving decisive for their overall win.
