Following the recent announcement that the biennial Admiral’s Cup will be making a long-anticipated return to the world sailing calendar in 2025 after a 22-year hiatus, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has expressed its interest to be involved once again with this prestigious event which was established in the UK in 1957 and is organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC).  

The Club will be forming a working group later in the month to be led by CYCA Life Member Peter Shipway who has competed in eight previous Admiral’s Cups.
 
Initial enquiries should be addressed to sailingoffice@cyca.com.au
 
Commodore Arthur Lane said:
 
“The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is extremely excited at the prospect to be closely involved with this significant racing event that has such a deep connection to our Club and sailing community. The Admiral’s Cup is an important part of our rich history and has helped shape our identity over the years – we look forward to being involved and supporting it again in any capacity that we can”.
 
CYCA Life Member Peter Shipway said:
 
“I was thrilled when I saw that the RORC is planning to revive the Admiral’s Cup in 2025.
 
I am equally delighted that the CYCA has moved so quickly to announce that they are planning to mount a campaign in what will be 60 years after our first challenge in 1965.
 
The Admiral’s Cup forms a very important part in the history of the CYCA and once again, it will give our sailors – especially our younger ones – the opportunity to compete on the world stage in what is sure to be a wonderful regatta after all these years.
 
The series will commence on 19 July 2025 and comprise three Inshore races, a Short Offshore race and conclude with the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race.
 
Teams will be made up of two boats, representing either a Yacht Club or Country. 
 
Teams from Great Britain have been the most successful over the years, winning the trophy on nine occasions. Germany has won four times, USA and Australia three times each, with Australia being the holders of this prized trophy.”

Transporting Australia’s first Admiral’s Cup team in 1965. © CYCA Archives

Over the Admiral Cup’s history, the CYCA has had a proud and extensive involvement with the event regarded by many to be the unofficial championship of ocean racing. Originally designed for three boats to represent their country, the Cup’s format was comprised of two short inshore races on the Solent during Cowes Week, a channel race and the Fastnet Race.    
 
From Australia’s debut in the fifth Admiral’s Cup in 1965 through to its most recent race in 2003, CYCA members, their boats and crews had featured prominently in every edition except 1995 when Australia was unable to send a team.
 
The race was last run in 2003 when under a new format, it was won by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, representing Australia.
 
RORC | Louay Habib – The Admiral’s Cup Returns

History of Australia’s Involvement in the Admiral’s Cup

Australia’s first 1965 Admiral’s Cup team. © CYCA Archives   1965 Norman Rydge, Bill Psaltis and Trygve Halvorsen were on the original organizing committee led by Sir James Kirby that put together a team from the CYCA made up of Freya (Trygve Halvorsen), Camille (Ron Swanson) and Caprice of Huon (Gordon Ingate). The team finished second in its first attempt.   1967 Australia returned to secure its first of three wins in the Admiral’s Cup with the team of Balandra (Bob Crichton-Brown), Mercedes III (Ted Kaufman), and Caprice of Huon (skippered by Gordon Reynolds). 1969 Mercedes III returned with Ragamuffin (Syd Fischer) and Koomooloo (Denis O’Neil) to finish second.     Caprice of Huon at the 1967 Admiral’s Cup. © CYCA Archives     Mercedes III at the Admiral’s Cup © CYCA Archives     Balandra at the 1967 Admiral’s Cup. © David Colfelt   1971 Salacia II (Arthur Byrne), Ragamuffin and Koomooloo (Norman Rydge) placed third with the highlight being Ragamuffin’s victory in the Fastnet Race.   1973 Ragamuffin competed for a third time alongside Gingko (Gary Bogard) and Apollo II (Alan Bond) to finish second. 1975 Love & War (Peter Kurts), Mercedes IV (Ted Kaufman) and Bumblebee 3 (John Kahlbetzer).   1977 Syd Fischer was back with a new Ragamuffin, alongside Superstar (Keith Farfor) and Runaway (Jim Hardy). 1979   Australia’s second victory in the Cup through the team of Police Car (Peter Cantwell), Impetuous (Graeme Lambert) and Ragamuffin. Jim (later Sir James) Hardy helmed Impetuous in one of his four Admiral’s Cup campaigns.     Apollo II at the Admiral’s Cup. © CYCA Archives     1977 Australian Admiral’s Cup team in Cowes. © CYCA Archives     Impetuous at the 1979 Admiral’s Cup. Photo: Jonathan Eastland/Ajax News.   1981 Ragamuffin, Apollo 5 (Alan Bond) and Hitchhiker (Peter Briggs).   1983 Hitchhiker returned with Bondi Tram (Dennis O’Neil) and Once More Dear Friends (Peter Kurts).   1985 Lou Abrahams won his first selection with Challenge III alongside Drake’s Prayer (Peter Kurts) and Intrigue (Don Calvert). 1987 Alan Bond returned to the Admiral’s Cup, this time as a sponsor. The team boats were Swan Premium I (Sagacious V, Gary Appleby), Swan Premium II (Ultimate Challenge, Lou Abrahams) and Swan Premium III (Madeline’s Daughter, Peter Kurts). 1989 Madeline’s Daughter (Peter Kurts), True Blue (Lawson Klopper) and Joint Venture III (Ron Elliott).     1987 Australian Admiral’s Cup team.  © CYCA Archives   1991 Cyclone (Max Ryan), Bimblegumbie (Keith Jacobs) and Shardana (Chas Jacobsen). 1993 Great News II (John Calvert-Jones), Ninja (Peter Kurts) and a new Ragamuffin. Australia came second by only a quarter of a point behind Germany after Great News II was dismasted in the Irish Sea during the Fastnet Race.   1995 No Australian team participated 1997 A change in racing format based on classes saw Australia field a team of Ragamuffin IMS Class, G’Net (John Calvert-Jones) ILC40 Class and Sea (Steve Kulmar) Mumm 36 Class. 1999 Quest (Bob Steele) IMS Class, Sledgehammer (Ron Jones) Sydney 40 Class, and Atara (CYCA Atara Syndicate led by Noel Drennan) Mumm 36 Class. This year, the Wolf Rock Race became the principal offshore event rather than the Fastnet Race and the Admiral’s Cup was held outside of Cowes Week. 2001 Admiral’s Cup cancelled. 2003 Under a new format where teams of two boats represented a yacht club affiliated to a national authority, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club won the Admiral’s Cup for Australia for its third time with Wild Oats (Bob Oatley) and Aftershock (Colin O’Neil). 2005 Admiral’s Cup cancelled.