Sailing's Glitterati prepare for the Admiral's Cup - Part 1
by Louay Habib / RORC 8 Jul 02:54 PDT
17 July - 1 August 2025
TP52 Beau Geste proudly representing Hong Kong on day 4 of the Royal Thames Yacht Club 250th Anniversary Regatta © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
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.
The depth and quality of talent is truly breathtaking - 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.
Take a look at the standout crews from the Admiral's Cup boats racing in AC1 and get ready for similarly remarkable statistics when AC2 is profiled in our follow-up article. Apologies to the many superb sailors not featured here, but with the Admiral's Cup on the line, this month's winners are sure to earn their place in the history books.
Beau Geste (RHKYC)
Karl Kwok's Beau Geste team last competed in the Admiral's Cup in 1995, and alongside Kwok then, and still today, is Gavin Brady, Beau Geste Programme Manager. Brady is principal helmsman for the TP52 Beau Geste for the Admiral's Cup and has competed in six America's Cup campaigns, the Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Races. Kiwi Simon Daubney will be trimming on Beau Geste, with no less than four America's Cup victories. Top British crew on Beau Geste include America's Cup and multiple world champion Johnathan Taylor and double Olympic medallists Nic Rogers. Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup sailor Wade Morgan is from Australia.
Black Pearl (NYYC)
Stefan Jentzsch's Botin 56 Black Pearl has an international crew managed by Marc Lagesse, a navigator for the America's Cup, Maxi circuit and TP52 Class. Paul Standbridge is crew boss. The veteran British sailor has five round the world races to his name and has competed in over 15 editions of the Fastnet Race. Standbridge claims that the Admiral's Cup will be his swansong. The Black Pearl crew has a highly experienced offshore team including Volvo Ocean Race winner Guy Salter and the highly experienced Abby Ehler who has five round the world campaigns in her CV. Italian offshore flair on Black Pearl comes from Corrado Rossignoli.
Caro (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron)
On board Max Klink's Botin 52 Caro, overall winner of the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, are three round the world winning sailors; Jules Salter, Ryan Godfrey and Justin Ferris. Adrian Stead has won just about every 600-mile classic and the Admiral's Cup with the Australian team in 2003. Trimmer Johno Swain has four round the world races to his name. Kiwi Scott Beavis has competed in two round the world races.
Django WR51 (YCCS)
Racing on Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's Django WR51, a brand new Wally Rocket, are some of Italy's most decorated sailors. Vasco Vascotto has over 25 world titles in various classes, including the Farr 40, Melges 32, and TP52. He has raced in the America's Cup with Luna Rossa and has served as tactician for top international teams. Bruno Zirilli, a long-time member of Azzurra and Luna Rossa, is best known for his America's Cup campaigns, but also multiple TP52 Super Series victories. Guillermo Parada hales from Argentina but has led the Azzurra TP52 team to multiple podiums in the TP52 Super Series.
Elida (Hamburger Segel Club)
Daniel Baum's Tison 48 Elida is the only wooden yacht in the 2025 Admiral's Cup but with a light displacement length ratio, due to her cold-molded construction, Elida is on paper a fast boat with the second lowest rating in the big boat class. The German crew has incorporated Isle of Wight's James Gair, who has 14 Rolex Fastnet Races on his CV and an expert knowledge of the Solent.
Final Final (RORC White)
Jon Desmond's crew on PAC 52 Final Final includes Kiwi Cameron Appleton, winner of the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup as a strategist with America One. Appleton has secured multiple world titles in classes such as the RC44, Melges 32, and TP52, frequently serving as tactician or helm and often on the winning boat for Superyacht and Maxi events. Jim Turner competed for Team New Zealand in the America's Cup and has sailed in top-level international campaigns, including the Volvo Ocean Race, TP52 Super Series, and RC44 circuit. He has also represented New Zealand in the 2012 Olympics in the Star class. Australian Nick Bice has sailed in multiple editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Imagine (RVG)
Holger Streckenbach's Imagine team includes his sons Felix and Theodor. The Imagine team will be racing for the third time in the Rolex Fastnet Race, the final event of the Admiral's Cup. Originally the 2012 Botin TP52 Azzura, Imagine is now based at the Regatta Verein Greifswald on the Baltic Sea and is a regular competitor in the Gotlund Runt. Also on the German team are two Kiwi sailors, Chris Skinner, winner of the Round New Zealand Two handed Race, and Logan Andresen NZ youth match racing champion.
Ino Noir (RORC Red)
Former RORC Commodore James Neville's Carkeek 45 Ino Noir has raced thousands of miles in the build-up to the Admiral's Cup, including winning class for the 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race. The majority British crew includes Jack Trigger who was the youngest skipper to compete in the Route du Rhum. Trigger has also sailed in the IMOCA 60 fleet, including working with Alex Thomson Racing, and has experience in The Ocean Race. Youth America's Cup Winner and Figaro sailor Rob Bunce is also on the Ino Noir team. Highly experienced sailors include Martin Watts and John Hunter-Hamilton that have been part of record-pacing MOD70 teams.
Jolt 3 (YCM)
Peter Harrison's TP52 Jolt 3 has an exceptional crew of inshore and offshore legends. Ed Baird is in both the USA National Sailing Hall of Fame, as well as the America's Cup Hall of Fame and is a past Rolex World Sailor of the Year. Robbie Naismith is regarded as one of the world's best trimmers having won the America's Cup for New Zealand on multiple occasions as well as competing in four round the world races. Naismith competed in the 1989 Admiral's Cup. Rodney Ardern's pedigree includes a match racing world title, three Volvo Ocean Race campaigns and two victories in the America's Cup. Stacey Jackson has competed in two round the world races and 12 Rolex Sydney Hobarts, including line honours on Wild Oats. Cameron Dunn is an America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race sailor with multiple world championships including Swan 50 and RC44.
Privateer (Royal Irish YC)
Ron O'Hanley's Cookson 50 Privateer has British sailor Ian Walker in the afterguard. Walker is a double Olympic silver medallist and Volvo Ocean Race winning skipper. As skipper of Volvo 70 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Walker's team set the monohull record for the Cowes to Plymouth course for the Rolex Fastnet Race. Privateer has a very experienced offshore team including maxi legend Juggy Clougher who has also won the Whitbread' on EF Language and raced on Pirates of the Caribbean in the Volvo Ocean Race 20050-06. Juggy has tasted victory on Rambler 100, Rambler 88, Comanche and Leopard 3, just to name a few.
Rán 8 (KSSS)
Niklas Zennstrom's Carkeek 52 Rán 8 has Bouwe Bekking in the afterguard, one of the most experienced offshore sailors in history with no fewer than eight round-the-world campaigns to his name. In his early career, Bekking won the Admiral's Cup with the Dutch in 1999. Irishman Justin Slattery is one of the most decorated offshore sailors in the world, with two victories in the Volvo Ocean Race, and multiple Rolex Fastnet Race wins. Rán project manager Tim Powell and navigator Steve Hayles have raced together in four round the world campaigns. Rán's Jeremy Robinson has been part of winning crews for both the Rolex Fastnet Race and Rolex Sydney Hobart, as well as 505 World Champion and Volvo Ocean Race. Team Rán is the only crew of the modern era to retain the Fastnet Challenge Cup on the same boat Rán 2 (2009-2011).
Red Bandit (Bayerischer YC)
Carl-Peter Forster's TP52 Red Bandit has achieved notable victories in the 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race and the Rolex Giraglia. Danish multiple world champion and America's Cup helmsman Jasper Radich adds huge experience to the young Red Bandit team.
ROST Van Uden (Dutch Offshore Sailing Team)
Ker 46 ROST Van Uden is skippered by Volvo Ocean Race veteran Gerd-Jan Poortman, but none of the rest of the crew had been born when Poortman was part of the winning Dutch Admiral's Cup team in 1999. The Rotterdam Offshore Sailing Team, run by the Royal Maas YC in Rotterdam, are all in their teens and early 20s. The Ker 46 has the lowest IRC rating in AC1 but is high on passion and grit among the young team.
Teasing Machine (YCF)
The driving force behind Eric de Turckheim's Teasing Machine, winning the RORC Transatlantic Race and Rolex Middle Sea Race, is Volvo Ocean Race winner Laurent Pagès who also competed in the Louis Vuitton Cup with Areva Challenge. Teasing Machine has Aymeric Chappellier who has competed at the highest level on both the Class40 and Figaro 3 circuit. Mariana Lobato is the only non-French sailor on board. Lobato took Gold for Portugal at the 2012 London Olympics and clinched the 2013 Women's Match Racing World Championship. Mariana added victory in the 2021 Ocean Race Europe 2021 and skipper on the IMOCA 60 Biotherm in the 2022-23 Ocean Race.
Zen (CYCA)
Gordon Ketelby, owner of TP52 Zen, has raced 12 Rolex Sydney Hobarts and his campaign manager Shane Guanaria has 15 races to his name. Ketelby's TP52 Zen will have Tom Addis as navigator; the three-time round the world Australian sailor has multiple wins for the Rolex Sydney Hobart, both for line honours and overall under IRC. Also on Zen will be Chris Nicholson, a multiple world champion with six round the world races to his credit.
With world-class sailors converging on the Solent, the 2025 Admiral's Cup promises a magnificent spectacle. For more on the teams, the stories, and the racing to come, visit the official Admiral's Cup website at admiralscup.rorc.org.
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