Island residents and visitors alike will witness sailing history as Cowes hosts the iconic Admiral’s Cup for the first time since 1999, reviving one of the sport’s greatest traditions.
Cowes hosted the first cup back in 1957 and played host for all the other editions until 1999.
One edition was sailed elsewhere in 2003, but after that the event was put on hold by organisers the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), until now.
Island residents and visitors should take the opportunity to see some of the World’s top sailors and boats with the racing taking place off our shores. The start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, which forms the end race of the Cup, is a spectacular sight with not only the Admiral’s Cup boats but 400 + other craft. After the Cowes start this race finishes in Cherbourg, France and is of course sailed via the Fastnet Rock off Southern Ireland and covers a distance of 600+ miles.
Head to Cowes between 18th July and the 26th July to see the action, details of races are on the RORC website, or follow further action until 1st August when the presentations will take place in France.
For the 2025 edition The Admiral’s Cup series is contested by 2-boat teams from yacht clubs around the World with 15 teams taking part in 2025. This Admiral’s Cup series is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The Rolex Fastnet Race is hosted in association with the Yacht Club de Cherbourg and the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes.
The Admiral’s Cup, named after the Admiral of the RORC (at that time Sir Myles Wyatt) was the brainchild of leading members of the RORC. They were looking for an inshore racing series with an offshore element which was of particular attraction to overseas yachts.
Prior to 1957 American yachts were drawn to competing against Great Britain – in the style of the America’s Cup – and the first Admiral’s Cup series was fought out between Great Britain and the USA with the British team winning. Great Britain won again in 1959 but the USA came back in 1961 (by which time five teams were competing) and was victorious.
Reaching a highpoint in the 1970s the event saw 1975, 1977 and 1979 all field a record 19 teams, and over the years this event was considered the foremost offshore racing series in the World – the unofficial World Cup for offshore racing.
The 2025 Admiral’s Cup is shaping up to be one of the most compelling editions in the event’s history, featuring some of the sport’s elite with a roll call of America’s Cup legends, Volvo Ocean Race veterans, Olympic medallists, and offshore champions who have helped define sailing over the past three decades. These are sailors who have crossed oceans, broken records, lifted the sport’s most coveted trophies, and pushed the limits of endurance, teamwork, and skill.
