The Admiral’s Cup got underway with a light start for the 160nm Channel Race, but by the next morning, the fleet returned with all of the crews soaking wet and bleary-eyed, having gone through the wringer in the English Channel. The building breeze topped out at 25 knots with a big and confused sea state for a full-throttle downwind leg back across the Channel, topped off with a screeching reach to the finish.
In AC1, Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52 Rán (KSSS) took race line honours for the Admiral’s Cup fleet but after IRC time correction, Giovanni Lombardi Stronati’s Wally Rocket 51 Django scored the best corrected time. Karl Kwok’s TP52 Beau Geste (RHKYC) corrected out in second by less than six minutes with Rán taking third.
Django WR51 scores best corrected time in AC1 of the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
Django WR51 navigator is Bruno Zirilli, a long-time member of Azzurra and Luna Rossa for both the America’s Cup and TP52 Super Series. Zirilli does have Solent experience with TP52 Gladiator at Cowes Week and was navigator on ClubSwan 125 Skorpios for monohull line honours in the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race.
Django WR51 navigator Bruno Zirilli for the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
“Preparation began the night before, studying the course and working with Vasco (Vascotto) and the crew to build a plan. The weather was unpredictable and the course long, but we tried to match the forecast with what we know of our boat,” commented Zirilli. “Django is still a relatively new boat for us—we’ve sailed her for a few months—but we’ve gathered enough data to understand her strengths.
Early on, the plan was to stay in clean air and play the shifts along the north shore. Near the forts, we saw the breeze shifting to the southeast and things quickly transitioned from downwind to upwind mode. A few boats got a jump on us, but we passed many others by reading the breeze well."
Celebration on board Django WR51 after the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
"Downwind, Django performs strongly—she really comes alive. The final leg was fast and wet, with full sails and water pouring over the deck, but the crew stayed sharp. No major damage, just small things except for the A2. On the reach to the finish, the head ripped clean off but the crew did a fantastic recovery. The Channel Race was a real test but a great one. The Admiral’s Cup is iconic—I’ve raced all over, but this event has something special. It’s a privilege to be here racing among some of the best, and we’re just getting started.”
Victory for Callisto in Admiral's Cup AC2 in the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
In AC2, James Murray’s B&C 42 Callisto (RNZYS) took class line honours and the best corrected time for the class. Second after IRC time correction was Jolt 6 (YCM), co-skippered by Pierre Casiraghi & Tom Dawson. Karl Kwok’s Botin 41 Beau Ideal (RHKYC), skippered by Christopher Cowan, was third after IRC time correction.
Mike Sanderson after the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
Previous Admiral’s Cup winner Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson is in the afterguard of James Murray’s Callisto, winner of AC2 for the Channel Race.
“We knew getting out of the Solent in light breeze and a building sea state was going to be tough, so our strategy was simply to stay in touch—to hang in on the beat and give ourselves a shot on the return leg. Once we cleared the Solent it was game on. We had an epic battle with Jolt and Beau Ideal all the way to the finish. It was intense—over 20 knots of breeze at times, with an A2 spinnaker flying. We had to push hard but also manage the boat and the sails with care, knowing there’s a whole series still to come. We didn’t get into a watch system—we just sprinted it out. Everyone dug deep. This was a day to leave everything on the water, and I’m proud of the crew for delivering a solid result. There’s a long way to go but it’s a great start. And for all the Kiwis back home: thanks for following us—this regatta is going to be a marathon, and we’re only just getting started. Tough day for our teammates on Caro but we’re all in this together. There’s plenty more racing to come.”
Northern Ireland's Ian Moore and Jim Murray on Callisto after the Admiral’s Cup 160nm Channel Race Photo: James Tomlinson
Ian Moore is navigator on Callisto. He has won the Volvo Ocean Race and multiple victories in nearly all the blue riband offshore races. Ian spoke after the Channel Race, focusing on analysis and some hints on the upcoming inshore racing:
“The Channel Race pretty much followed the forecast. Up the beat it felt like the boats were synchronized — just tiny gains and losses from tacking at just the right time. What really defined the race though was how you managed the ru n. The breeze built fast—faster than I expected—up to 25 knots. It was a boat-handling frenzy, and credit to our team—they nailed it. That’s where we made big gains and ultimately won the race.
Looking ahead, the inshore racing is going to be incredibly tight. Every boat in our division has strengths in different conditions—some are better upwind, some down. You need to make the most of your moments when the conditions suit your boat and then be ready to defend when it’s someone else’s turn. Callisto has been optimised to be more versatile, especially offshore, but we’re up against some very quick inshore boats like Beau Ideal and Jolt. Nothing is guaranteed, and IRC corrected time can flip everything. One thing’s for sure—this is going to be a tough regatta, but an exciting one. I’m looking forward to the next few days—and a good cup of tea.”
With the Channel Race concluded, it has become brutally apparent that the level of competition in the Admiral’s Cup is fierce. With such a wide range of boat designs, predicting what made for a winning performance in the Channel Race is no easy task. But one thing stands out, when you look at the IRC corrected times for all 30 boats: the top six boats are all from AC2. That’s a striking statistic - and serious food for thought.
With a lay day on Monday 21 July, the Admiral’s Cup action returns on Tuesday 22 July with the first day of inshore racing for the series.
