Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Dynamic 40 Leaderboard
Product Feature
Ocean Safety Ocean ISO Less Than 24 Hour Liferaft
Ocean Safety Ocean ISO Less Than 24 Hour Liferaft

50 boats for RORC Vice Admiral's Cup 2023

by Louay Habib / RORC 18 May 2023 11:41 BST 19-21 May 2023
RORC Vice Admiral's Cup © Paul Wyeth / RORC

The 2023 RORC Vice Admiral's Cup will feature fifty boats racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club. The Cape 31, J/111 and J/109 Classes will race under one-design rules with the HP30+ and Quarter Tonner Classes racing under the IRC Rating Rule.

Three days of action are scheduled with multiple races per day on windward leeward courses and tight round the cans racing. Weather forecasts are predicting superb conditions for Saturday and Sunday for the regatta.

Over 300 sailors are expected for the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup with corinthian sailors rubbing shoulders with top professionals. The Vice Admiral's Cup has always featured a full social programme. The RORC Cowes Clubhouse will be regatta central for fun filled evening entertainment, especially the Prize Giving, held at the RORC Clubhouse on Sunday 21 May.

This year is the third Vice Admiral's Cup featuring the Cape 31 Class and with 25 entries it will be the biggest collection of Cape 31s in the history of the class. Last year's winner, Michael Bartholomew's Tokoloshe 4 returns to defend the title with son David on the tiller.

Third in 2022, Tony Dickin's Jubilee will also be in action. While the majority of the Cape 31 entrants have UK based owners, there are four Irish teams joining the fray including Anthony O'Leary's Antix. From The Netherlands, Lennard van Oeveren, past Swan 45 World Champion will be racing Motions, and from the United States, Sandra Askew's Flying Jenny will be in action.

J/111 Class

Seven one-design 36ft J/111s will be in action, the World Sailing international class keelboats enjoy close racing with seconds deciding the race winners. Tony and Sally Mack's McFly has been the top J/111 at the last three editions Vice Admiral's Cup and McFly will be looking to make it four in a row. Stiff competition as always will come from Louise Makin and Chris Jones' JourneyMaker II, which has been runner-up or on the podium for the last four editions. Cornel Riklen's Jitterbug has made the podium for the last two editions. Bermudian Paul Wollmann is new to the J/111 Class racing Frequent Flyer.

The pocket rocket HP30 Class are enjoying their seventh season, the class follows a tight box rule under IRC measurement. The Vice Admiral's Cup has attracted Fareast 28s, Farr 280, and MC31 designs. Jamie Rankin's Farr 280 Pandemonium has been on the Vice Admiral's podium on two occasions. The scratch boat in the HP30 Class is Swede Sture Wikman's Modified MC31. A posse of Fareast 28s will be racing including Geoff Poore's Mako, Andrew Peake's Resolute, and Timon Robson's Sea Dragon.

J/109 Class

The J/109 Class features in both inshore and offshore RORC races and close racing is expected for the 35ft keelboat. In the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race, 16 J/109 competed under IRC and also for their own J/109 RORC Trophy. David Richard's Jumping Jellyfish will be going for a hat-trick of victories having won class at the last two editions of the Vice Admiral's Cup. Mike Yates' JAGO has been on the podium in the last two editions, and Chris Burleigh's Jybe Talkin' was runner up in 2021. John Smart's Jukebox is the reigning Class Three IRC National Champion. Rob Cotterill's Mojo Risin' was in fine form at last weekend's 120nm offshore De Guingand Bowl Race; Mojo Risin' was third overall under IRC.

Quarter Ton Class

Sam Laidlaw's BLT is on for a hat-trick of victories having won the past two editions of the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup. The origins of the Vice Admiral's Cup date back to 2005, when it was first held by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, the Quarter Ton Class has always been part of the event. Louise Morton has competed at nearly every regatta and as Secretary of the RCYC, started the regatta with husband Peter. Louise Morton will be racing Bullet as always with an all-women crew. The Bullet squad includes world class sailors; Nicky, Lucy and Kate MacGregor, Anabel Vose, Bethan Carden, Colette Richmond, and Sophie Heritage.

For information about the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup and the Royal Ocean Racing Club: www.rorc.org

Related Articles

RORC Centenary Season - Notice of race published
Unveiling a thrilling programme of races for its centenary year The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has published the 2025 Notice of Race, unveiling a thrilling programme of races for its centenary year. Posted on 20 Dec
RORC Transatlantic Race Multihulls chasing dreams
This year a variety of multihulls will be challenging for Line Honours and the MOCRA Class The 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race will have a different outcome in respect of overall multihull line honours, compared to recent years. Posted on 19 Dec
Get ready for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2025
Less than a month to go until registration is open With less than a month to go until registration is open for the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), has published the Notice of Race. Posted on 17 Dec
The Royal Ocean Racing Club celebrating 100 years
2025 will see a landmark season of RORC Racing In 2025, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) proudly marks its centenary, celebrating 100 years of passion, innovation, and commitment to yachting and offshore racing. Posted on 9 Dec
North Sails Apparel partners with RORC
As Official Clothing Supplier to the globally esteemed portfolio of offshore races North Sails Apparel will be Official Clothing Supplier to the globally esteemed portfolio of offshore races operated by RORC, including the Rolex Fastnet Race, RORC Caribbean 600, RORC Transatlantic Race and the long-awaited return of the Admiral's Cup. Posted on 5 Dec
2025 Admiral's Cup update
In less than eight months the prestigious Admiral's Cup, returns after a 20yr absence The countdown is on. In less than eight months the prestigious Admiral's Cup, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), will return to the spotlight. Training and racing in the Solent is expected to begin as early as April 2025. Posted on 2 Dec
2024 RORC Annual Dinner & Prize Giving
Season's top performers honoured with a glittering array of prestigious prizes Celebrating an inspiring season of RORC racing, more than 200 guests enjoyed a cocktail reception and gourmet dinner at the magnificent Grade II listed building next to Westminster Abbey. Posted on 25 Nov
RORC Caribbean 600 news
RORC Nelson's Cup Series is now a stand-alone event The stage is set for an electrifying 16th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, starting Monday 24th February 2025, from Antigua. The early entries in IRC Zero reveal a fierce battle among some of the most advanced offshore racing machines on the planet. Posted on 19 Nov
RORC Transatlantic Race: Two months to go
Boats have been arriving in Marina Lanzarote with many more en route for the race start With just two months before the start of the 3,000 mile race across the Atlantic, the RORC Transatlantic Race fleet is still growing, with more entries expected in the coming months. Posted on 11 Nov
IRC 2025 Rule text published
Following ratification at the IRC International Congress Following ratification at the IRC International Congress, the IRC Rating Technical Committee has published the IRC 2025 Rule text, now available on the IRC website. Posted on 6 Nov