Yacht Club de Monaco triumphed in the 2025 Admiral’s Cup
The Campaign: Boats, Skippers & Strategy
Monaco’s team sailed two boats:
Jolt 3, a TP52 skippered by Peter Harrison (competing in AC1, the larger-boat fleet), and
Jolt 6, a Carkeek 42 skippered by Pierre Casiraghi, vice‑president of YCM (racing in AC2, the smaller-boat division)
The event incorporated three key phases:
A RORC Channel Race (160 nm, coefficient ×2),
Six inshore races in the Solent, and
The Rolex Fastnet Race (695 nm, triple scoring, non‑discardable)
After mid‑event standings saw Royal Hong Kong briefly leading with 36 points to Monaco’s 44 and Italy at 59, the Fastnet transformed the leaderboard. Thanks to Monaco’s flawless execution, especially under high pressure, they surged to an overall margin of 16 points ahead of Hong Kong Yachting World
Fastnet Finale: The Pivotal Battle
The Rolex Fastnet Race proved deciding. As dusk settled, both Jolt 3 and Jolt 6 arrived at Cherbourg nearly simultaneously with many rivals … and only hours to spare before protest deadlines. Jolt 6’s navigator Will Harris played a pivotal role, expertly guiding his crew as they fended off fierce competition from Hong Kong’s Beau Ideal and New Zealand’s Callisto.
Casiraghi described the emotions vividly: “Honestly, I still can’t quite believe what we’ve achieved… we held the lead, fought off relentless pressure… it was truly a collective effort”—and later added: “At this point I’m exhausted… can’t imagine doing another offshore on a 42-footer any time soon”
Meanwhile, Harrison reflected on the campaign with humility and optimism: “This is the biggest result I’ve ever had in sailing… to help lead YCM to its first victory on our first attempt is extraordinary.” He praised the team chemistry, strategic management by Matt Adams, and vowed that YCM would already be planning to defend the trophy
Podium Placing: Final StandingsGold – Yacht Club de Monaco (first ever entry, overall winners)
Silver – Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
Bronze – Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (Italy)
Other notable finishes included:
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (4th),
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (5th),
Royal Maas Yacht Club from the Netherlands (6th),
Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Royal Ocean Racing Club (two teams), Royal Irish YC, and New York Yacht Club among the 15‑team leaderboard
Why Monaco’s Win Matters
Historic debut victory: YCM entered and won on its first attempt. Flawless team execution: Success across multiple race formats, divisions, and pressure situations. Strategies matched to conditions: Solent singles sailed tight; Fastnet endurance and tactical nuance delivered the prize. Navigational excellence: Harris’s performance aboard Jolt 6 was singled out as “phenomenal” by Casiraghi.
Legacy & Looking Ahead
The revival of the Admiral’s Cup after more than two decades was always a landmark moment for offshore sailing. Monaco’s triumph adds fresh significance—it symbolises the competitiveness of smaller nations, the power of first-time ambition, and the evolution of team‑based offshore racing.
With The Ocean Race Europe launching in August, YCM figures like Will Harris and Cole Brauer are set to transition to other high-profile events aboard Malizia‑Seaexplorer, the same platform that powered Greta Thunberg’s Atlantic crossing in 2019. Their performance in the Fastnet may have reinforced their confidence in offshore endurance racing.
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Monaco’s 2025 Admiral’s Cup victory stands not just as a sailing achievement, but as a testament to ambition, precision, and the synergy of talent across disciplines. It’s the kind of story that lives on far beyond a leaderboard: a principality finds a place at the pinnacle of offshore legend.
The 2025 Admiral’s Cup didn’t just return. It returned with a twist. Monaco, a first‑timer, claimed glory on grit and guile. And knowing the principality as you do—you’ll feel it’s only the beginning.