Turning the Corner – Speed, Strategy and Showdowns After the Rock

The Fastnet Lighthouse © ROLEX / Kurt Arrigo

Rolex Fastnet Race | Admiral’s Cup Evening Update | Monday 28 July 2025

Rounding the Fastnet Rock isn’t just a legendary moment in the Rolex Fastnet Race, it marks the psychological and physical halfway point of the 695nm race. For the Admiral’s Cup fleet, it’s also the turning point in every sense. In this historic centenary edition, for the vast majority of the fleet, the upwind slog is behind them.

Now comes the thrill of speed: VMG running and reaching angles all the way to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. As the boats turn for home and the breeze builds behind them the Rolex Fastnet Race is expected to accelerate. The leading Admiral’s Cup yachts could finish before sunset on day four (Tuesday 29 July), with the rest of the fleet powering into Cherbourg-en-Contentin before dawn on Wednesday. The long beat is over, but the fight to the finish is just getting started.

Beau Geste © James Tomlinson/RORC

AC1 – TP52 Duel at the Front, Rockets in Pursuit

At the Fastnet Lighthouse, Karl Kwok’s TP52 Beau Geste (RHKYC) held a slim lead in IRC rankings, just 3 minutes and 14 seconds ahead of Peter Harrison’s Jolt 3 (YCM). In third, Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen (CYCA) was only 1 minute and 55 seconds ahead of Stefan Jentzsch’s Botin 56 Black Pearl (NYYC).

The next leg, a 140nm downwind run toward the Isles of Scilly favours the TP52s optimised for VMG running. But the game isn’t over. Giovanni Lombardi Stronati’s lightweight Django WR51 (YCCS), currently 6th, could gain significantly in these conditions. Also poised for a surge is Rán (KSSS), Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 52, built for high-speed reaching will be looking forward to the 200nm leg from the Isles of Scilly to the finish.

Django JPK © James Tomlinson/RORC

AC2 – Close Quarters, Shifting Leaders

In AC2, Jolt 6 (YCM), skippered by Pierre Casiraghi, was first to round the Fastnet Lighthouse at 13:04:52 BST on Monday 28 July. Karl Kwok’s Botin 40 Beau Ideal (RHKYC) followed 47 minutes later, trailed closely by Philippe Frantz NM43 Albator (YCF) just 53 seconds behind, with James Murray’s C&B 42 Callisto (RNZYS) only 46 seconds back.

On IRC corrected time the leaderboard remains fluid. Django JPK (YCCS), skippered by Michele Ivaldi, is still 10 miles from the Rock but leads by roughly one hour - a margin that’s expected to shrink as faster boats like Jolt 6 enter their downwind sweet spot.

Beau Ideal holds third on corrected time, but only by eight minutes from Per Roman’s JPK 1180 Garm (RORC Red). With a wide range of boat designs in AC2, the coming VMG and reaching conditions will be decisive. Expect lightweight, powerful hulls to shine for the sleigh ride to the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.

As far as the team standings go for the Admiral’s Cup. See below, as of 17:30 BST 28 July.

Track the fleet in the Rolex Fastnet Race and catch up with all the stories at www.rolexfastnetrace.com