RORC Channel Race 2025 Preview | Admiral's Cup Opener
by Louay Habib / RORC 16 Jul 2025 01:42 PDT
From 19 July 2025
RORC Channel Race © Paul Wyeth /
www.pwpictures.com
FWS 10:20 BST Saturday 19 July
Course: Solent start - Around Marks - Solent Finish (Approx.110-160nm)
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC)
The 2025 RORC Channel Race is the high-stakes opener of the 2025 Admiral's Cup—and the pressure is on. With double points on the table and no discard allowed, this race could make or break a team's Admiral's Cup campaign. The 30 elite boats vying for the Admiral's Cup will be focused on a strong start to the series, knowing full well there's no room for error in the Channel Race.
However, the Channel Race is not just for the Admiral's Cuppers. Over 70 boats will be racing as the 14th race of the world's largest offshore racing series. It is also the penultimate race of the new RORC Cowes Offshore Series. As of 15th of July, 66 boats will be racing in eight IRC Classes plus a Class40 Division.
The Multihull Class will feature two foiling MOD70s returning to RORC racing prior to competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Jason Carroll's Argo and Erik Maris at the helm of Zoulou will have their first dust-up since the 2024 RORC Caribbean 600.
Entry list available here.
How to Follow the Channel Race:
- First Start: 19 July 10:30 BST
- Committee Boat start from Central Solent
- All boats are equipped with YB Trackers. Follow live at: cf.yb.tl/channel2025
- Results & Updates: Near real-time results via sailracehq.com
- Social Media: Use #RORCRacing to follow across Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Back to Glory: The Channel Race Returns to Its Admiral's Cup Roots
First run in 1928 as the 'Junior Ocean Race', the Channel Race was created for smaller yachts not entered for the punishing Fastnet. That inaugural edition saw a fleet of 12 boats race from Cowes to the Cherbourg breakwater and back, with victory going to Robert Somerset aboard his 34ft cutter Penboch—a future RORC Commodore.
Nearly a century on, the Channel Race remains a fixture in the offshore calendar. Once the traditional opener for the Admiral's Cup, it proudly reclaims that role in 2025, restoring its status as a proving ground for the international teams.
In 1957, the Channel Race made history as the first scoring race for the newly minted 'Gold Cup' which was to become the Admiral's Cup. That year, John Illingworth's Myth of Malham claimed victory, helping the British team of Myth of Malham, Uomie (S.B. Slater), and Jocasta (G.P. Pattinson) win the overall series and lift the inaugural Gold Cup.
One of only two RORC races without a fixed destination, the Channel Race course is plotted just before the start, based on weather forecast and conditions. Expect a demanding mix of sailing angles and no shortage of strategy.
A Historic Year for the RORC
2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Royal Ocean Racing Club—a century of dedication to offshore racing and international yachting excellence. The 2025 racing season is packed with exciting events. In July is the start of the prestigious Rolex Fastnet Race where RORC celebrate 100 years since this famous race was first staged. The much-anticipated return of The Admiral's Cup will also be run in July and has attracted a world class fleet from around the globe.
For more information about the Royal Ocean Racing Club Centenary RORC Centenary Page.