Ireland’s Offshore Elite Join Record-Breaking Fastnet Fleet
As the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) celebrates its centenary year, the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race promises to be one of the most memorable editions. With over 400 boats expected to take to the start line in Cowes, this year’s race will showcase ULTIMs, IMOCA 60s, Ocean Fiftys, Class40s and a wide range of IRC classes.
Irish talent will be represented across a wide range of classes from Tom Dolan aboard the IMOCA Charal to Cian McCarthy’s 33-foot Sun Fast Cinnamon Girl.
This year’s race also marks the conclusion to the Admiral’s Cup revival, with the coveted Golden Trophy to be won. One of the Royal Irish Yacht Club’s two-boat team is no stranger to success in this race, Tom Kneen’s Sunrise was the overall winner of the 2021 Fastnet Race. Now racing under the Royal Irish burgee, he is joined by top Irish sailors Maurice O’Connell and Andrew Baker.
Also returning to the start line is Caro, the overall winner of the 2023 Fastnet Race, with Irish sailor Cian Guilfoyle back on board.
Ireland is also set to be notably represented at the RORC Centenary Year Press Conference by the National Yacht Clubs Nicole Hemeryck, skipper of RORC Griffin Sailing Team. Nicole will sit alongside skippers such as America’s Cup winner Pete Burling, Canada Ocean Racing’s Pip Hare, current holder of the Fastnet Challenge Cup Adrian Stead and many more giants of the Offshore sailing scene.
She is joined by another Irish skipper on the start line who is a few years ahead in her offshore sailing career, Pamela Lee who will be racing her Class40 #Empowher on her journey towards the 2026 Route de Rhum. Pam is really looking forward to this part of her campaign in which she gets the opportunity to have her boat touch home waters for the first time since its drop in.
More Irish sailors competing across the elite boats of Fastnet fleet are Harry Durcan of Royal Cork Yacht Club and Will Byrne of the National Yacht Club who will race on TP52 Final Final, a boat also competing in the 2025 Admirals Cup for RORC White. Additionally, Oisin Mcllenard, Mark Petticrew and Tom McWilliam will race on Leopord III.
Irish Boats that are set to compete in the Fastnet race are ISORA series leader Chris Power Smith’s Aurelia, The J122 came fourth in the 2024 Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race and is well prepared after a near to full season of competing in the Irish Offshore Series. Cian McCarthy’s Cinnamon Girl that placed second out of the double handers in the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race in 2024 will also take the start line in Cowes, along with Ryan Wilson’s Elixir, Conor Doyles Freya and many more.
You can see the full list of Irish entries by clicking here.
The last time an Irish Boat took home the overall Fastnet Race trophy was Ger O’Rourkes Cookson 50 Cheiftan in 2007 a race that saw over half the fleet retire due to extreme conditions.
We look forward to following the Rolex Fastnet Race as it unfolds and to witnessing the final leg of the Admiral’s Cup, as the fleets round the iconic Fastnet Lighthouse off West Cork before making their way to the finish in Cherbourg, France.