Please select your home edition
Edition
Melges 15

50 boats for RORC Vice Admiral's Cup 2023

by Louay Habib / RORC 18 May 2023 11:41 BST 19-21 May 2023
RORC Vice Admiral's Cup © Paul Wyeth / RORC

The 2023 RORC Vice Admiral's Cup will feature fifty boats racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The Cape 31, J/111 and J/109 Classes will race under one-design rules with the HP30+ and Quarter Tonner Classes racing under the IRC Rating Rule.

Three days of action are scheduled with multiple races per day on windward leeward courses and tight round the cans racing. Weather forecasts are predicting superb conditions for Saturday and Sunday for the regatta.

Over 300 sailors are expected for the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup with corinthian sailors rubbing shoulders with top professionals. The Vice Admiral's Cup has always featured a full social programme. The RORC Cowes Clubhouse will be regatta central for fun filled evening entertainment, especially the Prize Giving, held at the RORC Clubhouse on Sunday 21 May.

This year is the third Vice Admiral's Cup featuring the Cape 31 Class and with 25 entries it will be the biggest collection of Cape 31s in the history of the class. Last year's winner, Michael Bartholomew's Tokoloshe 4 returns to defend the title with son David on the tiller.

Third in 2022, Tony Dickin's Jubilee will also be in action. While the majority of the Cape 31 entrants have UK based owners, there are four Irish teams joining the fray including Anthony O'Leary's Antix. From The Netherlands, Lennard van Oeveren, past Swan 45 World Champion will be racing Motions, and from the United States, Sandra Askew's Flying Jenny will be in action.

J/111 Class

Seven one-design 36ft J/111s will be in action, the World Sailing international class keelboats enjoy close racing with seconds deciding the race winners. Tony and Sally Mack's McFly has been the top J/111 at the last three editions Vice Admiral's Cup and McFly will be looking to make it four in a row. Stiff competition as always will come from Louise Makin and Chris Jones' JourneyMaker II, which has been runner-up or on the podium for the last four editions. Cornel Riklen's Jitterbug has made the podium for the last two editions. Bermudian Paul Wollmann is new to the J/111 Class racing Frequent Flyer.

The pocket rocket HP30 Class are enjoying their seventh season, the class follows a tight box rule under IRC measurement. The Vice Admiral's Cup has attracted Fareast 28s, Farr 280, and MC31 designs. Jamie Rankin's Farr 280 Pandemonium has been on the Vice Admiral's podium on two occasions. The scratch boat in the HP30 Class is Swede Sture Wikman's Modified MC31. A posse of Fareast 28s will be racing including Geoff Poore's Mako, Andrew Peake's Resolute, and Timon Robson's Sea Dragon.

J/109 Class

The J/109 Class features in both inshore and offshore RORC races and close racing is expected for the 35ft keelboat. In the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race, 16 J/109 competed under IRC and also for their own J/109 RORC Trophy. David Richard's Jumping Jellyfish will be going for a hat-trick of victories having won class at the last two editions of the Vice Admiral's Cup. Mike Yates' JAGO has been on the podium in the last two editions, and Chris Burleigh's Jybe Talkin' was runner up in 2021. John Smart's Jukebox is the reigning Class Three IRC National Champion. Rob Cotterill's Mojo Risin' was in fine form at last weekend's 120nm offshore De Guingand Bowl Race; Mojo Risin' was third overall under IRC.

Quarter Ton Class

Sam Laidlaw's BLT is on for a hat-trick of victories having won the past two editions of the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup. The origins of the Vice Admiral's Cup date back to 2005, when it was first held by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, the Quarter Ton Class has always been part of the event. Louise Morton has competed at nearly every regatta and as Secretary of the RCYC, started the regatta with husband Peter. Louise Morton will be racing Bullet as always with an all-women crew. The Bullet squad includes world class sailors; Nicky, Lucy and Kate MacGregor, Anabel Vose, Bethan Carden, Colette Richmond, and Sophie Heritage.

For information about the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup and the Royal Ocean Racing Club: www.rorc.org

Related Articles

Django Team to represent Italy at Admiral's Cup
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda launches two-boat campaign in historic return of the elite offshore race After a 20-year hiatus, the Admiral's Cup is back - and Italy is ready to make a bold return to one of offshore sailing's most legendary stages. Posted today at 10:23 am
Meet the CYCA's Admiral's Cup Team
Meet the skippers and sailors, get to know their roles and discover what makes their programs unique Meet the skippers and sailors, get to know their roles and discover what makes their programs unique. Posted today at 6:59 am
Sailing's Glitterati prepare for the Admiral's Cup
The depth and quality of talent is truly breathtaking. The 2025 Admiral's Cup is shaping up to be one of the most compelling editions in the event's storied history, featuring a glittering constellation of the sport's elite. Posted on 8 Jul
2025 Cowes Dinard St Malo Race Preview
The thirteenth race of the RORC Season's Points Championship The Cowes Dinard St Malo Race is the thirteenth race of the RORC Season's Points Championship—the world's largest offshore racing series. Posted on 7 Jul
A dream realised for Litchfield's Hound
The Nielsen 59 Hound finished the Transatlantic Race 2025 on July 5 Dan Litchfield's classic Nielsen 59 Hound, co-skippered by Tom Stark, finished the Transatlantic Race 2025 on July 5 in an elapsed time of 16 Days, 08 Hours, 49 Mins and 22 Secs. Posted on 7 Jul
Peter Burling shows new sailing direction
Peter Burling chases new race record with French 105ft foiling trimaran Three times America's Cup winnning skipper Peter Burling will join the crew of the Ultim SVR-Lazartigue for the upcoming Rolex Fastnet Race. Posted on 6 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC One preview
Beyond the French legends there is plenty of international talent with podium potential With 17 editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race to his name, including five class victories along the way and an outright victory in 2015, could anyone bet against Géry Trentesaux doing it again? Posted on 4 Jul
B&G support Admiral's Cup and Rolex Fastnet Race
Providing a fully equipped Technical Support Hub at Cowes Yacht Haven B&G®, the world's leading sailing electronics manufacturer, today announced its support of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Admiral's Cup and Rolex Fastnet Race 2025, delivering expert technical support and tailored on-site services throughout the event. Posted on 4 Jul
Unforgettable Transatlantic Race 2025 finish
First to arrive was Ocean Fifty Calamity, co-skippered by Timo Tavio and Kimo Nordström. It was rush hour in Cowes on Day 15 of the west-to-east Transatlantic Race 2025, as boats crossed the finish line in Cowes within minutes of each other after an epic 3,000-mile battle for top honors in IRC 1. Posted on 3 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: Offshore classics set to race
IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it IRC Zero has a rich seam of ocean-going history running through it. While French round the world race legend Jean-Luc Van Den Heede (aka VDH) isn't competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race, two of his former steeds will be on the IRC Zero start line. Posted on 2 Jul