Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing Day 2: Beau Geste and Nola rise in shifty Solent showdown
by Louay Habib / RORC 23 Jul 12:09 PDT
17 July - 1 August 2025
Race Four of the Admiral's Cup brought a tactical masterclass in light airs to the Central Solent. PRO Stuart Childerley set a windward leeward course for both classes, 1.6nm for AC1 and a shorter 1.4nm for AC2.
With wind drifting in from the north at 5-11 knots and a strong west-going tide cutting across the course, strategy and boat speed was everything.
The course was set well off the Hill Head shoreline, a pure boat-for-boat test of speed and finesse. Karl Kwok's TP52 Beau Geste (RHKYC) won in AC1 by the narrowest of margins. Taavet Hinrikus' MAT1220 Nola (KSSS) was the winner in AC2. The wind became unstable in the afternoon and try as the Race Team might, no further racing took place for the Admiral's Cup.
With four races now completed in the Admiral's Cup, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club now leads the series by a single point from Yacht Club de Monaco. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is in third, two points ahead of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
Race 4 Report
AC1: Beau Geste and Jolt 3 neck-and-neck
At the start, Eric de Turckheim's Teasing Machine (YCF) nailed the pin, flanked by Max Klink's Caro (RNZYS), Stefan Jentzsch's Black Pearl (NYYC), ROST Van Uden (RMYC) skippered by Gerd-Jan Poortman, and Ron O'Hanley's Privateer (RIYC). Black Pearl made early gains with a strong start, while Peter Harrison's Jolt 3 (YCM) and Beau Geste launched from the middle. Meanwhile, Giovanni Lombardi Stronati Django WR51 (YCCS) and Jon Desmond's Final Final (RORC White) were both called OCS and forced to restart, putting them fully on the back foot.
By the first top mark, Beau Geste had stormed into the lead, closely followed by Black Pearl. On the downwind, Beau Geste extended her lead with Jolt 3 in pursuit. Gordon Ketelby's Zen (CYCA) found an extra gear and surged into contention, while Caro and Black Pearl led the mid-fleet charge. In a nail-biting final leg, Beau Geste took the lead and just held off Jolt 3 at the line. After IRC correction, Jolt 3 snatched victory by just three seconds from Beau Geste. Zen took third, narrowly ahead of a resurgent Django WR51, which had made a miraculous recovery from their OCS.
"Today was a real snakes and ladders day. In all our training in the Solent we have never had a northerly breeze, but we knew it would be shifty and unpredictable, and those conditions always test the afterguard. Our goal was to be the right-hand boat off the start, even though the wind slightly favoured the left. It paid off, but not without drama. We had to crash tack with no warning, just a 50-degree header and bang, you're on the other tack. No time for communication, just raw instinct and execution.
"The regatta so far has delivered everything, light airs, full-send downwinds, and today's head-out-the-boat concentration. It's been a complete test of every boat and team, and a brilliant proving ground for the IRC rating system. Every night we're sharing knowledge, leaning on the tight-knit team culture that Karl's built over 12 years. That's what makes the Admiral's Cup so special - it's not just about your boat, it's about supporting your teammates across the squad.
"We've seen a few teams emerge at the top, but it's only halfway; there's still runway for others, including the New Zealand team, to make a comeback. The points are close, the racing is fierce, and no one's backing down. This regatta is far from over."
AC2: Nola's surprise surge in a shifty battle
The AC2 fleet also saw drama at the start with Per Roman's Garm (RORC Red) and Thomas Reinecke's Edelweiss (HCS) called OCS; both restarted correctly. Taavet Hinrikus' Nola (KSSS) and Philippe Frantz's Albator (YCF) executed pin-end launches, while Donald Thinschmidt's Abracadabra (NYYC) showed excellent upwind speed to lead at the first mark, chased by Karl Kwok's Beau Ideal (RHKYC), Pierre Casiraghi's Jolt 6 (YCM) and Chris Frost's AMP-lifi (RORC White).
Beau Ideal took the lead on the run, and the front four broke away from the rest. But it was James Murray's Callisto (RNZYS) who made the biggest move going east downwind and surging into contention. At the final top mark, Beau Ideal was back in front, followed by AMP-lifi, Jolt 6, and Callisto. On the final run, Beau Ideal stretched away for a convincing line honours win, with AMP-lifi second and Jolt 6 third.
However, the big surprise came on corrected time. Nola took the win by over a minute having worked hard after their excellent start. Beau Ideal claimed second, with AMP-lifi holding on to third, just 13 seconds ahead of Abracadabra.
"We had a great pin-end start and immediately saw pressure on the left. Credit to our tactician, Juuso Roihu, who made the call," commented Nola tactician Aksel Magdahl. "We went for it and it paid off. That was the defining move of the race. We managed to sail over half the fleet, including some of the faster boats, and held our position through the shifts. It wasn't the time to play conservatively. In those conditions, you had to commit to the pressure, and we did just that.
"This result reflects the preparation we've put in; we've got a tight crew with five professionals and the owners are committed and really growing into the sport. The atmosphere on board is intense, but we keep it fun and focused.
"Against the likes of Callisto and AMP-lifi we know we're racing boats that rate better and have faster acceleration. We have to out-think, not out-muscle. Winning comes from planning and precision. We're proud to be flying the flag for Estonia, Norway, Finland and Sweden - it's a special mix.
"It's a long regatta and we've made a strong start. We just have to keep executing, stay smart and sail our own race. So far, we're right where we want to be."
Race 4 proved that even in light airs, the Admiral's Cup demands full focus, clean starts and sharp tactical decisions. Every second counts, and as the leaderboard tightens, consistency is becoming the name of the game. Taking into account the weighted points for the offshore races, the Admiral's Cup has reached the halfway stage. The teams from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Yacht Club de Monaco and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron currently occupy the podium, but this series is far from decided.