Sailing–Admiral's Cup revival draws world's elite to Cowes
LONDON - After a two-decade hiatus, the Admiral's Cup returns to Cowes this month, drawing a top-tier international fleet of teams packed with America's Cup veterans, Olympic medallists and offshore specialists competing for one of sailing's most coveted trophies.
The 2025 event, from July 17-August 1, features a series of inshore and offshore races in the Solent, culminating in the 100th anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race. The team with the best combined score across all races will win the Admiral's Cup.
Among the frontrunners, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Karl Kwok helms Beau Geste, bringing together Gavin Brady (six America's Cup campaigns for New Zealand), four-time Cup winner Simon Daubney, and Britain's double Olympic medallist Nic Rogers.
New York Yacht Club's Black Pearl, skippered by Germany's Stefan Jentzsch, features British veteran Paul Standbridge, calling this Admiral's Cup his farewell after five round-the-world races and more than 15 Fastnets.
Italy's Django WR51—representing the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda—lines up with Vasco Vascotto, owner of more than 25 world titles, alongside a seasoned international crew.
The Netherlands are sending a new wave -- the Dutch Offshore Sailing Team's ROST VanUden is skippered by Volvo Ocean Race veteran Gerd-Jan Poortman, but his teenage crew weren't born when the Dutch last lifted the Cup in 1999.
Nicklas Zennstrom leads the Royal Swedish Yacht Club's Ran 8, with Ireland's Justin Slattery, a double Volvo winner, on board. Ran remains the only modern team to defend the Fastnet Challenge Cup with the same boat.
Another Swede, Daniel Baum, enters the fleet's only wooden yacht, the Tison 48 Elida representing the Hamburg Sailing Team. Elida's secret weapon is the Isle of Wight's James Gair in its crew -- he has 14 Rolex Fastnet Races on his CV and an expert knowledge of the Solent.
Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the Admiral's Cup is a team-based offshore sailing event where yacht clubs represent their countries. Each team typically fields two boats — one larger and one smaller — chosen by the club based on performance and eligibility.
Crews are selected by the clubs and often include a mix of top professionals, Olympic medallists and offshore race veterans. While sailors can be international, teams race under their club's national flag. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
12th world record for Singaporean powerlifter Farhanna Farid at World Games
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Singapore powerlifter Farhanna Farid breaking her deadlift world record with a 217kg effort at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu. SINGAPORE – The Chinese city of Chengdu is famous for two things: Giant pandas and hot pot. After spending days in the Sichuan capital without experiencing these delights, Singaporean powerlifter Farhanna Farid finally managed to catch the famous bears and indulge in the spicy local cuisine when the World Games 2025 concluded last week. Ahead of the Games, she held off on both to focus on the competition. Her hard work and discipline paid off as the 32-year-old broke the deadlift world record twice at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Centre Gymnasium on Aug 14, lifting 210kg and 217kg in the women's lightweight final. Her new mark of 217kg was almost 8kg more than her previous mark of 209.5kg set at the IPF World Open Classic Powerlifting Championships in Chemnitz, Germany, in June. It was her 12th world record since first achieving the feat in June 2022. With additional lifts of 147.5kg in the squat and 70kg in the bench press, she finished sixth overall with 110.58 points. France's Tiffany Chapon took gold (124.45), ahead of New Zealand's Megan-Li Smith (122.69) and Evie Corrigan (120.79). Farhanna said: 'Everything felt surreal. Still does actually. From being nominated for World Games to actually stepping into the athlete village to that last deadlift, everything felt like a dream. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Singapore Woman trapped between train doors: Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible' Singapore COE premiums up in all categories except motorcycles; Cat A price climbs 2.5% to $104,524 Singapore Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch Singapore Nearly 2 years' jail, caning for man caught with at least 100 sexually explicit videos of children Singapore MyRepublic's policy of not imposing download speed limits to stay after takeover: Starhub Singapore Staff member found with active TB after screening at 2 pre-schools; no children diagnosed so far: CDA Singapore Emergency broadcast system to alert S'pore public to disasters via their mobile phones: Edwin Tong 'Oddly enough I didn't feel nervous or anxious. Not so much because I was confident of my capabilities that day but rather because I was just so thrilled to be there. 'Representing our tiny red dot felt like a win in itself. Since mentally and psychologically I was already feeling good, piecing together a solid meet was a matter of doing everything that I had been practising for months now.' Unlike her previous world record attempts, where she made the smallest possible increment of 0.5kg, she decided to attempt a 217kg lift that she had not cleared in training before in order to earn a better overall placing. Reflecting on that moment, she said: 'On top of that, breaking a world record not just once but twice, on a World Games stage where classic/raw powerlifting made its debut, felt extra special. This definitely falls under the top five highlights of my entire life.' Farhanna admitted that 2025 has been 'extra challenging' as she juggles life as an athlete and coach, travelling and competing five times in nine months in the year. She added: 'Despite the lack of routine and the chaos of travelling, I made my training and nutrition non-negotiable. 'This meant waking up and sleeping by a certain time, making sure I hit my macros instead of eating whatever I want and prioritising training over sightseeing.' Her competitions are mostly self-funded, costing several thousand dollars each time unless she secures private sponsorship. Her husband, who accompanies her as a handler and referee, also covers his own expenses. She previously told The Straits Times that she has given herself two years to put 'the pedal to the metal' before stepping back to settle down and start a family. On how that has influenced her outlook, she said: 'I feel like because now I have a preset 'expiry date' to powerlifting being the forefront of my life, I want to maximise my efforts during training and competitions even more. 'If my training and nutrition consistency hovers between 80 to 90 per cent now, I aim to lock things in further to 100 per cent. I also feel like we can afford to be a little bolder with my attempt selections during competitions so that I don't leave any stones unturned before this break.' Nex up for Farhanna will be the Asian Championships in Istanbul in December, when she aims to improve her squat and bench while extending the deadlift world record. As her journey continues, she hopes to inspire others. She said: 'I hope people honour themselves grace and respect as they embark on their own journey and extend the same to others. 'I believe when people do that, they're able to create a virtuous cycle of inspiration and growth within and around themselves. Sometimes what you may be good at may not come immediately. It could involve stepping out of your comfort zone and going through plenty of trials.'
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Fluminense keeper Fabio surpasses Shilton's record with 1,391st competitive appearance
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio overtook Englishman Peter Shilton's longstanding record for the most competitive appearances in men's soccer, playing his 1,391st match during his side's 2-0 victory over America de Cali on Tuesday, his club said. The 44-year-old Brazilian has enjoyed a professional career spanning 28 years, with senior appearances for Uniao Bandeirante (30 matches), Vasco da Gama (150), Cruzeiro (976) and Fluminense (235). He made the switch from Cruzeiro to Fluminense in 2022 and has since won the Recopa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores one each, alongside two Taca Guanabara and two Campeonato Carioca titles. "I have every reason to thank God for allowing me to experience this special moment and achieve this tremendous milestone. It was very emotional to experience this, especially with my family by my side during the tributes," Fabio said in a statement posted by Fluminense. "It is a great satisfaction to achieve this record wearing the Fluminense jersey, which opened doors for me." Fluminense celebrated Fabio's record with a tribute at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro following their win over America in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana last 16 tie. "Now it's time to keep playing and striving for new achievements in every game," he added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Emergency broadcast system to alert S'pore public to disasters via their mobile phones: Edwin Tong Singapore Judge finds SBS Transit '100% responsible' in lawsuit filed by woman who was trapped in train doors Singapore COE premiums up in all categories except motorcycles; Cat A price climbs 2.5% to $104,524 Singapore Grab users in Singapore shocked by fares of over $1,000 due to display glitch Singapore New annual course will groom future leaders of Singapore's Chinese community Life S'pore bands mark milestones with gigs: Silver Strings at 60, Mel & Joe at 55 and Lovehunters at 40 Singapore Singapore indie cinema The Projector owes over $1.2m to creditors Asia Calls to cut ties: Malaysia flag furore tests PH-BN relations Former England goalkeeper Shilton, who played between 1966 and 1997, was acknowledged as the record holder for the most competitive men's professional games, though the total is disputed. Guinness World Records and a number of statistics websites say the tally is 1,390 but Shilton himself, on his X feed, gives it as 1,387. The discrepancy comes from Guinness including 16 unofficial games that Shilton does not include, while he includes 13 games he played for England's Under-23s team that normally are not counted. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Springboks set Wembley date with Japan on November 1
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox South Africa have added a date with Japan at London's Wembley Stadium to their autumn international series with the fixture to take place on November 1 in a rematch of an iconic game from 2015 Rugby World Cup. Coach Eddie Jones' Japan famously beat South Africa 34-32 in what was dubbed the 'Miracle of Brighton', though the Springboks exacted revenge by knocking the Asian side out of their own World Cup on their way to lifting the trophy in 2019. "The game in Brighton 10 years ago changed rugby in Japan from being a minor sport to a boom sport," Jones, now back in charge of Japan, said. "Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player." The Springboks also face France in Paris the following week before travelling to Italy (November 15), Ireland (November 22) and Wales (November 29) on an unprecedented five-match tour. South Africa also meet Argentina at Twickenham in their final game of this year's Rugby Championship on October 4. REUTERS
