Entries open for 2027 Admiral’s Cup

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has opened entries for the 2027 Admiral’s Cup, marking the 25th edition of one of offshore racing’s most prestigious international team competitions.

First contested in 1957, the biennial Admiral’s Cup will celebrate 70 years of offshore racing heritage in 2027, building on its successful modern revival and reaffirming its position at the pinnacle of global yacht racing.

Yacht clubs from around the world are invited to enter two-boat teams, competing across a demanding series that combines inshore racing, an offshore race, and the Rolex Fastnet Race, which forms the climax of the event.

The 2027 edition will also continue to reflect the evolving nature of the sport, with team compositions encouraging greater diversity and youth participation, reinforcing the role of The Admiral’s Cup in shaping the future of offshore racing.

James Neville brings a unique perspective to The Admiral’s Cup, having helped drive its revival as RORC Commodore before competing in the 2025 edition for the RORC team. Fresh from victory at the 2026 Sardinia Cup with his Botin 52 Ino Veritas, he is already focused on the preparation required for 2027.

“The Admiral’s Cup combines the intensity of close quarters inshore racing with the demands of the 700 mile Rolex Fastnet Race, which remains the pre-eminent offshore race in the world,” said Neville. “To be competitive, you have to prepare a boat and put together a team that can perform across that full range.

“The teams that were best prepared in 2025 were the ones that performed, so for us this is very much a two-year program. The Sardinia Cup has been an important step along the way, but the next 12 months will be about building the crew, developing the boat and getting ready to perform at the level The Admiral’s Cup demands.

“The team element is also very special. You are racing for your club, your crew, and your partner boat. That increases the pressure, but it also raises the standard. When the best yacht clubs in the world come together, you get something very rare in offshore racing.”

The regatta will be centred in Cowes, Isle of Wight, at the RORC Clubhouse, with racing culminating in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin following the Rolex Fastnet Race finish. The event runs from July 13 with the Rolex Fastnet Race start scheduled for July 24, 2027.

Entries close on February 28, 2027. At this stage of the entry process, individual boats can enter without announcing team mates.

Details: https://admiralscup.rorc.org