Jolt leads tight Admiral’s Cup field
In the first hours of racing, Monaco’s Jolt 3 and Jolt 6 have emerged as frontrunners across both Admiral’s Cup divisions. Jolt 3, a TP52 skippered by Peter Harrison, led the AC1 fleet out of the Solent with precise tactical execution, followed closely by Black Pearl and Zen. In AC2, Jolt 6, helmed by Pierre Casiraghi, set the pace alongside CYCA’s Back 2 Black and RHKYC’s Beau Ideal.
A clean start under grey skies
The 51st Rolex Fastnet Race got underway at 11:20 BST Saturday 26 July, with aircraft flyovers from the Red Arrows and a cannon salute from the Royal Yacht Squadron. Spectators crowded the Cowes shoreline as the multihulls kicked off proceedings, followed by the IMOCA fleet and then the immense IRC divisions.
Winds of 10–12 knots greeted the fleet under overcast skies, and by the time the Admiral’s Cup starters hit the line just after 13:00 BST, the western Solent was electric with action. Beau Geste, owned by Karl Kwok and featuring New Zealanders Bex Gmuer Hornell and Ryan Houston, pulled off a daring port-tack start. Kiwi sailor Nick Egnot-Johnson, on Beau Ideal in AC2, was already deep into the fray with teammates Dave Sweet and Ryan Houston—gaining precious experience beyond the TP52 circuit.
Out of the Solent, teams hit double-digit boat speeds. Black Pearl tacked early near Hurst Castle and surged into the lead at over 12 knots. Jolt 3 and Zen stayed inshore, finding favourable shifts near the Needles. The AC2 fleet was equally combative. Back 2 Black chose a bold northerly track, making gains before rejoining the main fleet near Swanage. Callisto, the RNZYS-backed B&C 42 that impressed all week inshore, was hunting the leaders in hot pursuit.
Nine hours into the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, the 444-strong fleet is charging west along England’s south coast, with light-to-moderate conditions creating tight racing across every class. Multihulls led early, with Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo and Tom Laperche’s SVR-Lazartigue trading leads ahead of the Ultims. In the IMOCA fleet, Swiss skipper Justine Mettraux held an early edge. Among IRC boats, the Admiral’s Cup fleet is setting a fierce pace—Monaco’s Jolt 3 and Jolt 6 leading their classes on corrected time. Classic yachts, double-handers, and club racers fill the ranks behind, navigating shifts and tide gates in a race still wide open.
RORC Admiral’s Cup 2025
Cowes
Photo: James Tomlinson
The Admiral’s Cup fleet faces its decider
This Fastnet is more than just another chapter—it’s also the grand finale for the revived Admiral’s Cup. The thirty Admiral’s Cup boats are split between AC1 and AC2, with cumulative points from inshore, offshore, and now the Fastnet itself determining the winner.
Jolt 3 and Jolt 6 are carrying Monaco’s hopes, but the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s entries—Beau Geste and Beau Ideal—are only a few points behind. Zen and Back 2 Black of the CYCA are near the top of the leaderboard, with Kiwi sailor Keryn McMaster contributing to Back 2 Black’s sharp campaign.
Caro, one of the few privately funded campaigns in AC1 and the reigning 2023 Fastnet IRC overall winner, is looking for redemption after a middling inshore series. If conditions turn light and tactical, Caro could still pounce.
Burling joins foiling Fastnet adventure
One of the more surprising developments is Peter Burling’s inclusion aboard SVR-Lazartigue, the French foiling Ultim trimaran. As a Rolex Fastnet debutant, Burling trades America’s Cup match racing for offshore foiling in one of the most complex machines afloat—a bold and fascinating move in his sailing evolution.
Pyewacket’s hast hurrah
This Fastnet is also the farewell performance for Roy Disney’s (of the Walt Disney/Disneyland fame) Volvo 70 Pyewacket, helmed by Ben Mitchell. With a proven offshore record and a seasoned crew, it’s a final act worthy of the centenary race. They are currently lying in the top 10 of the monohull line honour leaderboard.
Fastnet Rock, a beacon of beauty and danger
The Fastnet Rock is more than a waypoint—it’s a rite of passage. Six miles off Ireland’s south coast, it has stood as a sentinel for offshore sailors for over a century. Famously treacherous in poor weather, its silhouette still evokes stories of shipwreck, rescue, and resilience.
In 1979, the Fastnet Race tragedy claimed 19 lives. In 2011, Rambler 100 lost its keel just after rounding the Rock, sparking another dramatic rescue. Today, technology has advanced, but the Rock remains a haunting, beautiful challenge—its granite tower cut from Cornish stone still shining its beacon into the Atlantic night.
All to play for
As the Rolex Fastnet fleet stretches out past Land’s End, strategies begin to diverge. The wind is expected to shift northwest as the leaders approach the Rock, then soften on the return leg to Cherbourg. In the Admiral’s Cup, a triple-point race win here could tilt the entire competition. For others, rounding the Rock and finishing strong will be the only goal.
For the Kiwis watching back home, the next 48 hours will be nail-biting. Whether it’s the slick Monaco crews, the determined Hong Kong teams, or the Kiwi teams racing for back-to-back Fastnet wins, the race—and the Cup—is far from over.
