Admiral's Cup Inshore Racing Day 3: Youth, grit and glory define inshore battle
by Louay Habib / RORC 24 Jul 21:58 PDT
17 July - 1 August 2025
The final day of inshore racing at the 2025 Admiral's Cup delivered high drama, high stakes and no shortage of action, especially at race starts. Three intense races pushed crews to the limit and completed the six-race inshore series.
With the discard now in play and Channel Race results factored in, the scoreboard couldn't be tighter in AC1 - just a single point separates the top three contenders. Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's Django WR51 (YCCS) holds a razor-thin lead over Peter Harrison's Jolt 3 (YCM) and Karl Kwok's Beau Geste (RHKYC). In AC2, tied on points for the class lead are James Murray's Callisto (RNZYS) and Karl Kwok's Beau Ideal (RHKYC). Pierre Casiraghi's Jolt 6 (YCM) is third.
After seven races, the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is in pole position for the Admiral's Cup. Yacht Club de Monaco is second and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda is third.
Full results.
The final day of inshore racing for the Admiral's Cup featured racing in the Central and Eastern Solent. The day started with a light northerly breeze, but it was far from stable. A big wind shift, just after the start of the first race of the day caused the Race Committee to abandon. It was a long day on the water waiting for the wind to stabilise. However, three races were held, completing the scheduled six inshore race series.
Admiral's Cup - Inshore Race 4: ROST Van Uden comeback
?AC1 Class
Gordon Ketelbey's TP52 Zen (CYCA) won the pin with a clean start, while Jon Desmond's Final Final (RORC White), Elida (HST), Ino Noir (RORC Red), and ROST Van Uden (RMYC) were forced to restart after going OCS. Max Klink's Caro (RNZYS) seized the early advantage, spotting a right-hand lift and rounding the top mark with a commanding lead, three knots faster than boats on the left. Stefan Jentzsch's Black Pearl (NYYC) led the chasing pack as Jolt 3 (YCM) clawed back ground on Caro. On the water, Beau Geste edged ahead to cross the line first, but after IRC time correction, the young crew on ROST Van Uden stormed back from their false start to claim a memorable race win. Jolt 3 placed second, and Caro third.
The Royal Maas YC team for the Admiral's Cup is very much the result of a youth programme that has been running for 10 years. Ker 46 ROST Van Uden is skippered by Gerd-Jan Poortman with a crew all in their 20s or even younger. The family de Graaf's Ker 43 Baraka GP (RMYC) has graduates on board from the Royal Maas YC youth programme. The only professional sailor on Baraka is Wouter Verbraak, who was Poortman's teammate for the Dutch Admiral's Cup win in 1999. ROST Van Uden's win for today's race was remarkable, but so is the performance of the whole team, which are placed equal seventh for the Admiral's Cup and can still dare to dream.
"We came into the Admiral's Cup hoping to shake things up, and I think we've done that. These young sailors have gone from learning what the wind does to beating some of the best in the world," commented ROST Van Uden's Poortman.
"We've been the slowest boat in the big boat class, sailing in tough, shifty conditions, but we made the right calls, nailed every manoeuvre, and stayed fast. The consistency is there - discarding a seventh, then finishing fifth, fourth, and taking a win. That's something special. I've been with this team for 10 years, and I'm stepping away after this. So yes, it's emotional. But it's also incredibly rewarding to see how far they've come.
"Tonight we'll have a big team barbecue and celebrate this moment. And then it's on to the Rolex Fastnet Race. If it turns into a small boat race, and we keep sailing like this, who knows what's possible? We'll stick to our process, enjoy the ride, and see where it takes us."
Wouter Verbraak commented from Baraka GP: "This is top-level competition, and for a mostly amateur team on an older boat, we've punched above our weight. We've trained hard and put in the hours. We're not pure inshore boats, but we've hung in there and even outperformed expectations. Now we head into the Rolex Fastnet Race with everything to play for.
"What makes this team special is the mix, we've got incredible young sailors from the Royal Maas Yacht Club, and the best thing Gerd-Jan (Poortman) and I can do is step back and let them shine. They bring fresh thinking and energy and we just focus on giving them the structure to succeed. The spirit on board and between our two boats is fantastic, just like in '99 when team camaraderie won us the Cup. That's what's driving us now." concluded Verbraak.
In the AC2 Class Race 4, the committee boat end was heavily favoured, with Sean Langman's Back to Black (CYCA) crossing last but smartly tacking right, with Chris Frost's AMP-lifi (RORC White) taking an early lead. The pair split the fleet and although AMP-lifi took the lead, a penalty turn at the next mark opened the door. Callisto swept south to take control, but Beau Ideal surged forward, overtaking Callisto and withstanding a late challenge from Jolt 6. At the finish, Beau Ideal claimed line honours and after correction secured victory ahead of Django JPK (YCCS) and Jolt 6.
Admiral's Cup - Inshore Race 5: Tight racing, tactical gain
AC1 Class
The fleet was evenly spread across the line at the start, with Zen, Caro, and Jolt 3 near the pin. Everyone quickly tacked onto port, with Teasing Machine (YCF) pushing hard left. As they approached the top mark, there was barely a boat length between the front 10. Zen rounded just ahead of Black Pearl and a fast-charging Imagine (RVG). Most of the leaders gybed early downwind, while Black Pearl went straight, losing ground. Zen extended her lead at the gate, while Beau Geste, Niklas Zennstrom's Rán (KSSS), and Django WR51 emerged from the chasing pack. Rán favoured the right side on the next beat and gained, but Zen held off both Rán and Beau Geste to take line honours. After IRC correction, Zen sealed a comfortable win, with Beau Geste second and Rán just 17 seconds back in third.
Gordon Ketelbey's Zen has put in a monumental effort just to get to the Admiral's Cup. Zen's Campaign Manager, Shane Guanaria commented: "We came into this behind the eight ball; late with the boat, rig issues, shipping in from Australia, but I think we like it that way. We said early on, just take it one step at a time, keep punching.
It's been hard work, grinding away, minimizing mistakes and not giving up when the breeze doesn't go our way. The whole team's put in a massive effort. Sean O'Rourke and Alex Gough have been relentless in tuning the rig and it's showing in our speed - we're holding off boats that should be quicker.
"Offshore-wise, Zen hasn't done a lot lately, but between Chris Nicholson, Tom Addis and myself, we've got decades of Hobart's and offshore experience onboard. We've still got jobs to tick off before the Rolex Fastnet - reefing checks, halyards, waterproofing - but we'll be ready. We feel lucky to even be here, and we're racing for the mates who didn't make the start line too."
AC2 Class, Inshore Race 5, there was a feisty start at the pin end, as Django JPK, Sunrise IV (RIYC), and Garm (RORC Red) clashed early, with Django JPK emerging in front. Jolt 6 and Back to Black made gains on the left, while Callisto and Beau Ideal found clean air mid-line. AMP-lifi charged ahead on the right but couldn't make a cross, and Callisto rounded first, followed by Jolt 6 and Beau Ideal. Jolt 6 gybed early and paid the price, slipping to fourth at the bottom gate.
Up the final beat, the fleet split tacks - Beau Ideal and Back to Black left, Callisto and Jolt 6 right. Beau Ideal crossed just in front and led at the final mark, holding on to take line honours from Jolt 6. Four boats crossed together just behind in a dramatic photo finish. After IRC correction, it was a JPK sweep: Garm claimed the win, Sunrise IV was second, and Django third by a mere five seconds, with Beau Ideal just one second behind in fourth.
Admiral's Cup - Race 6: Django and Jolt 6 power through in building breeze
?In the AC2 Class, the committee boat end was heavily favoured, except for Nola who started further down the line. Albator struggled for space and was forced to tack around, while Ginkgo (BYC), X-Day (RVG), and Django JPK were OCS and had to restart. Django JPK banged hard right and picked up a shift, but leaders covered, and gains were limited. With the breeze building, Jolt 6 rounded the top mark first and scorched downwind at 14 knots, opening a big lead over AMP-lifi and Callisto. The top three held position through the bottom gate, and while Callisto split tacks up the final beat, Jolt 6 held steady to take the win. Callisto followed in second, with AMP-lifi completing the podium.
AC1 Class
Django WR51 won the pin with Zen and Beau Geste close alongside, though Beau Geste appeared over early and was forced to restart. The first beat saw tight racing with gains to the right-hand side where Black Pearl, Final Final and Privateer advanced. Elida also impressed with a strong showing. At the top mark, Django WR51 held a narrow lead over Jolt 3 and Black Pearl who gybed early down the run, while Django WR51 stayed on port. It paid off - Django WR51 extended her lead as Rán tactically pinned back both Jolt 3 and Beau Geste. The finish was fast and furious with Django WR51 taking a well-earned gun ahead of Black Pearl and Beau Geste.
Django WR51 tactician, Vasco Vascotto commented after racing: "Racing in the Admiral's Cup is something truly special. This event has such a deep history and being part of it again, 26 years after my last time is a real privilege. I dreamed of this as a young sailor and now I've been given a second chance.
"You can feel something important has returned. The inshore racing was tough, especially with strong currents pushing at both ends of the line, but we managed it well and nailed a great start in the final race. This is only day 10 for us with this new boat and already we see its potential. We're learning fast and improving every day.
"One key moment today was knowing we had to do something special to take the lead in our class and we delivered; keeping our emotions in check and performing as a team. I'm proud of every single crew member. Now we look forward to the Rolex Fastnet Race. Sail safe, sail fast and see you in Cherbourg."
The final race of the Admiral's Cup will be the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race starts on Saturday 26th of July from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line.
For more information about the Admiral's Cup at admiralscup.rorc.org
Admiral's Cup Provisional Results here.