The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) confirmed the latest entries as the February 28th deadline passed, with Ireland and Hong Kong adding firepower to an already stacked fleet. The return of this regatta, marking RORC’s 100th anniversary, feels like a proper moment for offshore racing—a chance for the Cup to reassert itself as the proving ground for serious campaigns.
Ireland’s Shot at Redemption
Ireland has thrown its name into the mix for the 14th time, chasing a win that has eluded them since their first campaign in 1965. They came painfully close in 1979, leading the regatta before the tragic Fastnet Race saw their challenge unravel with two broken rudders. This time, the Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC) isn’t leaving anything to chance.
They’ve lined up a two-boat squad bristling with offshore pedigree. Ron O’Hanley’s Cookson 50 Privateer, a past RORC Caribbean 600 winner and Rolex Fastnet Race runner-up, takes on the big boat slot—bringing the regatta’s first canting keel entry since Wild Oats’ class-winning charge in 2003.
Alongside Privateer, Tom Kneen’s new JPK 1180 Sunrise IV joins the campaign. Kneen’s Sunrise III has been a menace on the offshore circuit, with victories at the 2021 Fastnet Race and 2024 Cowes Dinard St Malo Race—and a famously controversial second in the 2021 Middle Sea Race. Expect this boat to be in the mix.
Backing it all up is a renewed push to build offshore racing at RIYC, with club Commodore Tim Carpenter and team manager Michael Boyd seeing this as a long-term project. The team is also being supported by Britain’s Ian Walker, a two-time Olympic medalist and Volvo Ocean Race-winning skipper, who has raced in several editions of the Admiral’s Cup.
“I come from a generation that had the chance to sail in the Admiral’s Cup and it was always the stepping stone into big projects,” Walker said. “I think it's especially important for the younger guys and girls to get the same opportunity that we had. The RORC have obviously come up with a formula that's attractive and it's going to be great to have so many teams wanting to be part of it.”
Hong Kong Goes All In
Hong Kong has history at the Admiral’s Cup—five campaigns between 1975 and 1995—and Karl Kwok is making sure their 2025 comeback is one to remember. The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (RHKYC) has gone all-out, fielding a two-boat campaign that looks built for business.
Their big boat? The TP52 Beau Geste, already battle-hardened in offshore grand prix racing and with a trophy cabinet full of 52 Super Series and RORC Caribbean 600 wins. But the real talking point is the second entry: Beau Ideal, a brand-new Botin 40 being built by Carrington Boats in the UK.
Gavin Brady, longtime Beau Geste skipper and campaign manager, explained the thinking behind the new build: “We wanted a PAC40—a boat that could do everything. No gimmicks, just pure sailing.” The design is simple but lethal—one rudder, minimal electronics, straightforward water ballast, and no unnecessary complexity. “We’re investing in young sailors for this one,” said Brady, who has spent years scouting the best from the World Match Racing Tour. Expect this boat to punch well above its weight.
A Regatta Reborn
The 2025 Admiral’s Cup is shaping up to be a landmark edition, with 30 boats expected to hit the start line. The Cup’s return isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about re-establishing one of the greatest team-based offshore regattas in the sport.
RORC has locked in the biennial format, and the entry list suggests they’ve nailed the balance—big-name campaigns, a mix of offshore-proven designs, and a genuine focus on growing the next generation of talent.
With teams training and testing over the next few months, all eyes will be on Cowes this summer. After two decades in the wilderness, the Admiral’s Cup is back where it belongs—and it’s going to be an absolute spectacle.
