What was already briefly discussed during the Vendée Globe became official today: The Yacht Club de Monaco is sending its own team to the first new edition of the Admiral's Cup since 2003. Pierre Casiraghi and Boris Herrmann will be there when the Monegasques celebrate their Admiral's Cup premiere.
The German keelboat sailors, on the other hand, can look back on a long and sometimes very successful Admiral's Cup history. The last of the four German Admiral's Cup victories came in 1993 after 1973, 1983 and 1985.
The new Admiral's Cup: 17 July to 1 August
32 years ago, the sailors triumphed on Willy Illbruck's "Pinta", Hans-Otto Schümann's "Rubin VII" and Udo Schütz's "Container" after a sensational Fastnet final, finishing a quarter of a point ahead of Australia. While Italy missed out on the podium after a dramatic series of breaks in 1993, France's best sailed to third place.
After the last Admiral's Cup was held in 2003, the follow-up edition planned for 2005 had to be cancelled due to a lack of interest. Since then, all attempts to bring back the golden days of the Cup have failed. Now, however, after streamlining the concept and admitting national and club teams with two boats each, the time has come again: the new Admiral's Cup will be held from 17 July to 1 August. At least 13 teams want to take part.
For Monaco's Admiral's Cup chaser Pierre Casiraghi and six-time circumnavigator Boris Herrmann, this is fortunate timing. Because just nine days after the Admiral's Cup final, the starting shot for the Ocean Race Europe will be fired on the Kiel Fjord, in which Team Malizia will be taking part with its skipper Boris Herrmann. The Admiral's Cup event in those historic waters around the Isle of Wight in south-west England, where the America's Cup, which is sometimes confused with the Admiral's Cup, kicked off in 1851, fits perfectly into the schedule.
The Admiral's Cup comeback in the Solent
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), which traditionally hosts the event, wants to turn the Admiral's Cup, which was launched in 1957 and attracted the world's keelboat sailing elite to British waters to compete in its heyday for 56 years, back into a European regatta highlight in the Solent.
Six German boats are also expected to take part in the comeback summit: Carl-Peter Forster's "Red Bandit" and Dirk Clasen's "Ginkgo" will each form a team under the umbrella of the Bayerischer Yacht-Club, as will Holger Streckenbach's TP52 "Imagine" and Walter Watermann's 42er-Farr "X-Day" for the Regatta Verein Greifswald. Daniel Baum's beautiful Tison 48 "Elida" will form a Hamburg team with Thomas Reinecke's Millenium 40 "Edelweiss".
The list also includes the two boats that Peter Harrison has entered for the Yacht Club de Monaco: The TP52 "Jolt 3" and the Carkeek 40 "Jolt 6" form a team. Owner and Club member Harrison planned the campaign together with Club Vice President Pierre Casiraghi. Casiraghi, who founded Team Malizia with Boris Herrmann in 2016, says: "Peter Harrison is a great sailor with a great team. When he suggested that we take part in the Admiral's Cup with the Jolt boats, I immediately accepted this incredible challenge."
We admire Boris Herrmann's commitment and courage." Prince Albert II.
While Harrison will skipper the TP52, Pierre Casiraghi will steer the 40. "We have a solid training programme, high-performance boats and a determined team," says Pierre Casiraghi. At the same time, he knows: "Consistency will be the key: two bad races and everything gets complicated." The Admiral's Cup campaign is part of an ambitious sporting strategy with which the Monegasques want to sail into the future.
Herrmann's co-skipper has the knowledge of the area
"We have all followed Boris Herrmann's journey at the Vendée Globe with pride, admiring his commitment and courage. This new project epitomises our sporting vision. These challenges inspire us and awaken new vocations," said Prince Albert II, President of the Yacht Club de Monaco. Pierre Casiraghi will be spurred on by Boris Herrmann and his co-skipper Will Harris on the Carkeek 40.
This is helpful because Harris brings with her the knowledge of the area that is indispensable in the Solent. In addition, Cole Brauer is the first American woman to have completed a solo circumnavigation without a stopover. Cole Brauer sailed around the world in 130 days as part of the Global Solo Challenge, finishing second overall.
Peter Harrison was looking forward to the team's start in the Admiral's Cup with great anticipation: "The Yacht Club de Monaco is one of the strongest forces in the world of sailing. Taking part in the Admiral's Cup offers a unique opportunity to showcase our expertise and passion."
The Admiral's Cup is back in fashion
Teams from some of the most renowned yacht clubs in the sailing world are expected to take part: the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron from Auckland will be represented, as will the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, the New York Yacht Club, the Crusing Yacht Club of Australia and other top teams. Click here for the current entry list, which will grow over the coming weeks. The Admiral's Cup format provides for a mix of coastal short races and longer courses.
