RNZYS announces two-boat Admiral's Cup team to compete at Cowes
by Ella Sagnol/Sail-World NZ 1 Dec 2024 11:10 NZDT
IRC52 Caro in 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart © Carlo Borlenghi
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) has announced its participation in the 2025 Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Admiral’s Cup, one of the most celebrated team racing events in international yachting.
Representing the RNZYS will be an exceptional team of Callisto, a Custom Botin IRC 42 owned by James Murray, and Caro, a Custom Botin IRC 52 owned by Max Klink.
It is believed that top offshore and TP52 skipper, Adrian Stead, and winner of two Fastnet Races, has been one of the driving forces behind the organisation of the RNZYS team.
The Admiral’s Cup, organized by the RORC, holds a storied history as the “unofficial world championship of offshore racing.” Established in 1957, the event quickly gained prominence, attracting elite yachts and crews from around the globe. Traditionally raced on the Solent, and culminating in the Rolex Fastnet race, the Admiral’s Cup then challenged teams of three yachts from each country to compete across a mix of inshore and offshore races. Its unique team-based scoring format makes it a pinnacle test of sailing and navigational skill, strategy, and seamanship.
In 2025, celebrating the centennial year of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the competition returns with a revitalized two-boat team format, reflecting the evolution of the sport while preserving its heritage. Teams of two boats may enter representing a club or country. There is no limitation on professional crew or crew nationality. There will be two classes with teams having one boat in each class.
RNZYS will contribute to this new chapter with a formidable pairing of vessels and crews as its representative team:
- Callisto (Custom Botin IRC 42) – Owned by James Murray, Callisto is a high-performance yacht designed for precision and speed in the competitive IRC rating rule. With its cutting-edge design and experienced crew, the boat is poised to excel in both inshore and offshore courses.
- Caro (Custom Botin IRC 52) – Owned by Max Klink, Caro is a powerhouse on the water, blending superior craftsmanship with advanced technology. The yacht has already demonstrated its prowess on the international racing circuit including multiple Sydney to Hobarts, and its inclusion in the RNZYS team reinforces New Zealand’s reputation for world-class sailing.
“We are thrilled to send Callisto and Caro to the Admiral’s Cup under the RNZYS banner,” said Gillian Williams, Commodore of RNZYS. “This event is a hallmark of international sailing, and we are confident that our team’s skill and determination will serve them well on the racetrack and make our members proud.”
New Zealand has a rich legacy in competitive sailing, and RNZYS is no stranger to success on the in the Admirals Cup wining the prestigious event in 1987, placing third in 1985. New Zealand's first real breakthrough came in the 1981 Admirals Cup with Ian Gibbs, Ron Holland designed Swuzzlebubble, being the top points scorer in a 16 team 48 boat event.
The event has been sailed since 1957, when two three boat team from Britain and the USA first competed for the trophy donated by Sir Myles Wyatt and three former Admirals of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, to ignite international offshore racing in British waters. The Cup was sailed every Fastnet Year until 1999. The 2001 event was cancelled, it was revived in 2003 with Australia winning the event, but lapsed until recently. The RORC was determined to revive the event and announced a new more realistic format based around with two boat teams.
In its heyday most countries, including New Zealand and Australia held selection trials for their teams, with new boats being built specifically aimed at Admirals Cup participation. Australia won the trophy in 1967, when nine three-boat teams competed.
The event format and scoring remains in its traditional format:
Three races (including one offshore race) are required to constitute a series. There will be one discard for the inshore races, if five or more races are completed.
The offshore races will be non – discardable. The short offshore will have a weighting of 2. The Rolex Fastnet Race will have a weighting of 3.
The 2025 RORC Admiral’s Cup will take place from 17th July to 1st August bringing together the world’s best sailors for a thrilling showcase of teamwork, strategy, and endurance. RNZYS, defender of the America's Cup, in a written media statement says it is honoured to participate and looks forward to vying for victory against an elite field.