The Admiral’s Cup is an international sailing competition, long regarded as the unofficial world championship for offshore racing. First held in 1957, it was a biennial event based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in southern England, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

From 1957 to 2003, national teams competed for the trophy, each fielding three boats in different classes. Initially, the race was dominated by Great Britain and the United States, but in later years, many other countries joined the competition. The Fastnet Race was a key part of the Admiral’s Cup during this period.

In 1971, British Prime Minister Edward Heath skippered one of the winning boats. In 1999, the Netherlands claimed victory in the Admiral’s Cup. Hans Eekhof and Roy Heiner skippered the 50-footer Innovision 7, Jochem Visser helmed the Dutch entry in the Sydney 40 class, and Peter de Ridder fielded a Mumm 36 from his Mean Machine sailing syndicate, with Bouwe Bekking as skipper. For this achievement, the team was awarded the Conny van Rietschoten Trophy in 2000.

The last Admiral’s Cup was held in 2003, and the event has not been raced since. Now, in 2025, the trophy is being revived, with around 13 countries expressing interest in competing. This time, teams will race with two boats: one class featuring yachts between 40-45 feet and a second class with yachts ranging from 46-55 feet. Once again, the prestigious Rolex Fastnet Race will be part of the competition.