A defining finale to the Admiral's Cup 2025 in the Rolex Fastnet Race
by Louay Habib / RORC 30 Jul 10:50 BST
17 July - 1 August 2025
At the end of the fifth day of the Rolex Fastnet Race just seven boats in the Admiral's Cup fleet were still racing. The majority had moored up in Cherbourg and the dock was filled to the brim with sailors and supporters sharing a beer, a slice of pizza and their stories.
After ten days of intensive inshore and offshore racing for the Admiral's Cup, provisional results are in and the overall winner will be officially announced today, Wednesday 30 July.
Race fans would love to know what the chat on the dock was like among the bleary eyed, salt encrusted Admiral's Cuppers. Below is a taster.
Black Pearl's Stefan Jentzsch: "We invested almost a year preparing for the Admiral's Cup refitting the boat, assembling the right team and training in the Solent to understand the local conditions. It's an event you either commit to fully or not at all. The Rolex Fastnet Race as a finale? It's a classic, you can't ask for more. We were leading until 20 miles from the finish when we hit a wind hole and went from first to last—brutal, but that's offshore racing. The key to our team is mutual support. Offshore sailing isn't just about skill, it's about people who can rely on each other in tough moments. It's a team sport and I'm probably the weakest link! Would I do it again? With the right sponsor, yes. The whole experience was fantastic. The organisation, the quality of competition, the atmosphere—it was truly world class. Even finishing off the podium feels like an achievement against the best of the best."
Marc Lagesse told us "We might be the scratch boat, but we're not the fastest—especially in light conditions where the TP52s thrive. Still, I'm incredibly proud of the team. It's not about rock stars, it's about the right people, the right attitude and a great owner. Everyone just got on with it. Tactically, we avoided the chaos and picked a key shift that others missed—that was all Gareth. Our game plan worked, and even when we lost visibility on the tracker we kept sailing our own race. The finish was tough but we stuck to our guns. Reflecting on the campaign I'm proud we did the Admiral's Cup, and proud to race with Paul Standbridge on his 2st and final Fastnet. We won an inshore race, we led offshore at one point, and we clawed our way back after being last. No drama, just good sailing. We achieved our goals: don't come last, be the top Germans and have fun."
A fairy tale Admiral's Cup for the Royal Maas YC team came to be, with the young crew racing Ker 46 ROST Van Uden winning AC1 for the Rolex Fastnet Race. Skipper Gerd-Jan Poortman, an Admiral's Cup winner with the Dutch team in 1999, spoke about the raw emotion of his team's amazing performance in the Rolex Fastnet race.
Poortman recalled "Winning our class in the Rolex Fastnet Race was always the plan—but did we expect it? Not at all. We had the smallest boat in the class, and while you always race to win it takes the right conditions. It turned into a small boat race and it went our way. But more than luck—we sailed a fantastic race. Not a single mistake in boat handling, spot-on lay lines and strong tactical calls. We earned it. Only two of us had ever done the Rolex Fastnet Race before. As we crossed the finish I just felt thankful.
Thankful to the Royal Maas Yacht Club and our sponsors who believed in this project over the past ten years. It's a great bunch of young sailors. Honestly, I'm more nervous about what they'll get up to tonight than I was about the race!"
Pierre Casiraghi, co-skipper of Carkeek 42 Jolt 6 (YCM), is no stranger to the Rolex Fastnet Race but for Casiraghi this was his first Admiral's Cup. Jolt 6 is the provisional winner of AC2 for the Rolex Fastnet Race.
"Right now it's hard to process—we just crossed the finish," reported Casiraghi. It was exhausting, intense and emotional. I have to give huge credit to the team and especially our navigator Will Harris - he was perfect the whole way. Everyone was completely spent, you could see it in their eyes, but we stayed focused, rested when we could and aimed to sail the cleanest race possible. The start was key—so many boats, tacks and close calls, but we stayed out of trouble and nailed the rhythm with the tactician Ben Saxton and navigator to hit the currents right. Another big moment was the night before the Rock, pounding upwind in heavy sea state—we had to nurse the boat carefully to avoid damage. Then those final gybes with Callisto, surrounded by such beautiful scenery—it was breathtaking. The Admiral's Cup is a phenomenal event. It demands everything—stamina, precision, strategy—and I'm just incredibly proud we were part of it."
Cameron Dunn is the strategist on Peter Harrison's TP52 Jolt 3 (YCM). Dunn is a veteran of three America's Cup campaigns, as well multiple world championship wins and the Volvo Ocean Race.
"To be part of this Admiral's Cup has been incredibly special," he says. "It all started with Peter Harrison, Matt Adams, and Pierre Casiraghi—they had the vision and put in a massive effort to build this team and campaign. The Fastnet was the ultimate finale - 700 miles with everything from light breezes to total shutdowns. We had a 400-mile match race with Beau Geste from the Scillies to the finish—just 10 minutes apart after all that. We went over to shake their hands because we knew how hard they sailed. They led when the race flipped. The whole spirit of this regatta has been amazing—teams supporting each other, good vibes throughout. I've raced a lot, but the Admiral's Cup was iconic when I was growing up in New Zealand. I had pictures of Kiwi boats on my school folders. To now race it myself, in its return year is an honour. If we win I'll be absolutely chuffed."
Karl Kwok's Beau Geste team (RHKYC) has been at the forefront of yacht racing for decades. For Beau Geste Team Manager Gavin Brady, this was his 100th regatta with Karl. Fittingly it was the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race that marked that milestone. For the Admiral's Cup, Gavin Brady was in his usual role, the principal driver for TP52 Beau Geste.
"When we heard the Admiral's Cup was being revived, we were immediately interested", reported Kwok. "The format suited us so Gavin and I began planning. We tried to find a Fast40+ that met our standards but nothing on the market satisfied us—so we decided to build one. That gave us a fast, high-rated boat built with the latest design input. It's still maturing but we're very happy with the results. Having the Rolex Fastnet Race as the finale is part of the event's tradition, and it feels fitting. Hong Kong's last entry was in 1995 under the colonial government, and while we came seventh out of eight we still beat England! Now, 30 years later I feel incredibly proud to still be racing. This is my 100th regatta with Gavin Brady. I hope this isn't the last Admiral's Cup—it must continue."
Beau Geste's Gavin Brady (RHKYC): "This campaign has been incredibly special for Karl and me. We first met during the Admiral's Cup in 1995 so to come back all these years later representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, and to have this be our 100th regatta together—it's been an awesome journey. Everything about this Admiral's Cup felt like a milestone event. Finishing with the Rolex Fastnet Race was perfect. It's the premier offshore challenge—tidal strategy, the iconic rounding of Fastnet Rock, and a true test of seamanship. You don't get away with anything out there. You're racing your competitors but also racing Mother Nature. And that 700-mile match race with Jolt 3 and Caro—it was unbelievable. We were never more than a few boat lengths apart. No one could break free. It felt like we were tethered together by elastic. This event will stay with every crew out there. It was that kind of race—unforgettable."
Racing on James Murray's B&C 42 Callisto (RNZYS) was Dean Barker. Kiwi Dean Barker helmed Team New Zealand to America's Cup victory in 2000 and has since competed offshore and across the TP52 and RC44 circuits.
"I first followed the Admiral's Cup when New Zealand won in 1987," he said. It was so cool to watch and I raced it myself in '97 and '99. To come back now with the event revived is really special. The racing in AC2 was incredibly close and you never knew how it would play out until the end. The Channel Race was some of the best downwind sailing I've ever done. The Fastnet on a 42-footer? Tough, but rewarding. We had a deficit at the Rock, but the team dug deep and nearly pulled it back. The mix of inshore and offshore racing adds a great dynamic—equal weighting means you've got to be strong in both. The Fastnet is a fitting finale—steeped in tradition and a real test of seamanship. We had an amazing team, thanks to Jim. It's been a fantastic experience representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. I really hope I get to do it again."
Complete results here