Admiral's Cup 1993

A stampede of 50-footers during the fourth race of the 1993 Admiral's Cup, with Champosa VII leading Pro-motion VII, Indulgence and Corum Saphir (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

Just as they did in similarly boisterous conditions in 1985, Germany outlasted their opponents to win the 1993 Champagne Mumm Admiral’s Cup for the fourth time. In a series that became a battle of attrition by the end of the Fastnet race, the Germans finished with all three boats – Container, Rubin XII and Pinta - intact, while the early front-runners, Australia and Italy, paid dearly for collisions and gear failure. Germany won by just a quarter of a point, an even narrower margin than the French in 1991. It was a fittingly close result for what was to be the swansong for the IOR in the Admiral's Cup.

Starline action during the 1993 Admiral's Cup, with Nippon to windward (mid-tack), Swing (JPN3553), Indulgence (GBR) and Jameson 3, with the bow of Mandrake to the right (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

The win nevertheless came as a surprise to the German team. Despite having the current One Ton champion Pinta, their team was not considered to be as strong as Australia or Italy.

Pro-motion VII powers along in fresh reaching conditions during the 1993 Admiral's Cup (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

As with the 1991 event, teams were made up of a 50-footer, Two Tonner and a One Tonner. However, the three-class level-rating scoring that had proved so successful in 1991 was dropped. Elapsed times had to be corrected not just into class order, but fleet order too. An age allowance factor was also introduced. However, only two scores from three boats were counted for each race (after it was feared that the series might fail and so two-boat teams were permitted for the first time). Only the Dutch team failed to field a three-boat team. It was therefore impossible to tell the results while racing was underway, and as a windy series, it favoured the larger yachts. This meant that some crews may have sailed well, but were rewarded with no points. A good 50-footer seemed essential for success, since their ability to obtain clear air early in any of the races guaranteed them a better chance than the boats which had to struggle through the disturbed air of one or two bigger classes – indeed, five of the seven races were won by the 50-footers and the other two went to Two Tonners. The One Tonners hardly got a look in, but Germany’s One Tonner, Pinta, that year's World One Ton champion, was essential to the team’s success even though she only recorded a score in two races.

Mandrake leads Jameson 3, with Champosa VII setting her spinnaker and followed by Corum Saphir and Container (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

Australia showed early form – Syd Fisher’s Ragamuffin (ex-Will) in the hands of Peter Gilmour, had looked the best 50-footer on the track. Gilmour constantly proved that, and only the combined attack of his opponents, and hitting a windward mark in the third race, stopped Ragamuffin from winning every race easily. The team’s One Tonner, Ninja, was a touch off the pace but this was made up for by John Calbert Jones’ Great News II (ex-Wings of Oracle), which became a force in the hands of Colin Beashel and it was only when her mast broke off at the deck early in the Fastnet, 20 miles north of the Scillies Islands, that the Australian challenge was lost.

Corum Saphir creates a bit of white water as she rounds a leeward mark (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

The German success was due to the efficiency of the team with back-up support that was ready for almost every eventuality, with New Zealand’s Peter Lester playing a key coaching role.

Jameson 2 rounds a gybe mark ahead of Rubin XII and Swing (photographer unknown)

France had probably had more practice than the rest of the team, but the combined talent never materialised into a winning force until the Fastnet, where once again, the French were the highest point scorers. But by then it was too late. Mistakes were common and Corum Saphir, the team's 50-footer (ex-Springbok), failed to score for her country in three of the inshore races when the big boats were dominant. Corum Rubis, the Two Tonner (ex-Bravura), recorded a solid score in every race and only Ragamuffin and Container were able to do as well. But Corum Diamant, the One Tonner (ex-Okyalos VI) failed to shine.

The aftermath of the Mandrake / Pro-motion VII collision in the fifth race (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

Italy lead into the final race, but were impacted by the loss of Mandrake, the 50-footer, in the fifth race after she had won two consecutive inshore races. Mandrake and the Dutch yacht Pro-motion VII crashed as they approached the windward mark for the second time. After losing her lead at the first mark Pro-motion was caught by other 50-footers, and then slightly over-stood the windward mark on the second time. She was slightly high on Indulgence’s weather hip as Mandrake came across on port. Skipper Francesco di Angelis dipped Indulgence’s stern but when the rudder stalled while attempting to dip Pro-motion and her bow entered the middle of Pro-motion’s hull, slicing to just below the waterline, at the same time breaking off the front four feet of the Italian yacht. For a time it seemed that both would sink, and it was a full minute before they could be prised apart. The crew of Pro-motion immediately put her on port tack to keep the gaping hole clear of the water and headed for Chichester Harbour with pumps going flat out. Mandrake’s crew, meanwhile, covered the hole in the bow with a storm jib, massed their weight and all sails in the stern and settled in for a long slow tow home to Cowes.

The extent of damage to Pro-motion is clearly visible from this photo by Gilles Martin-Raget (Facebook)

The video footage of this incident, including the lead-up and aftermath, can be seen in a Reuters film here, and in the video below (at 33 minutes).

Mandrake’s loss was crucial for the team which had looked so strong on paper. Larouge, the Two Tonner, had just won the Two Ton Cup and was top scorer in the class going into the Fastnet, but on the way back from Fastnet Rock, and 40 miles from Bishop Rock, her runner parted and their rig tumbled with 130 miles to go. The One Tonner, Brava Q8 (One Ton Cup winner in 1992) was seen as a potent performer, but she only produced a good score on one occasion. She was initially lucky in race 3 when after hooking the mooring of the outer distance mark, the race committee delayed the start, but later lost her mast not long after rounding the final leeward mark.

Japan finished fifth. Champosa VII, the team's 50-footer, showed flashes of brilliance but her overall score was not as hoped for. Swing was a regular scorer for her team, but Nippon, the One Tonner, was not as strong, and things were not helped when a crew-member went over the side during the Fastnet, and the yacht subsequently retired.

Britain was a lowly sixth. Indulgence (ex-Juno V) finishing as top yacht in the Fastnet, but other than a second in the opening race, she failed to score in the next four. Provezza Sauce, the Two Tonner, had good speed but this was often wasted. The young team aboard GBE International (ex-Port Pendennis), might have done better but lacked experience of mixed-fleet sailing in a small boat.

"Jameson on the rocks" (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing) 

The Irish team’s performance were impacted from the first race after the team’s One Tonner, Jameson 1 (ex-Fram XI), hit the rocks off Gurnard Ledge (to the west of Cowes) and lost her keel. Four other One Tonner’s hit as well but Jameson 1 was the only serious casualty. Down to two boats, there was further disappointment when Jameson 3 (ex-Heaven Can Wait) broke her boom at the mainsheet attachment during the Fastnet race. Jameson 2 (ex-Shockwave) was the team’s bright note, finishing as the top Two Tonner overall.

The 35th Fastnet race, the seventh race of the regatta, provided the 20 remaining boats left in the Cup with a proper test of the fleet. Good strong winds, on the wind all the way to the Fastnet Rock, and a fast run and reach back, found weaknesses and, as usual, was the final arbiter of the Cup. At the front of the fleet, it was a battle between Ragamuffin and Indulgence, with Corum Saphir coming into the equation on the way home. Corum Rubis led the Two Tonners at the Rock, 16-minutes ahead of Larouge. Pinta led the One Tonners, ahead of Brava Q8 by 11 minutes, and Ninja another seven minutes back.

Experience aboard Indulgence was a key factor at the Lizard, when in a foul tide navigator Peter Morton took the boat inshore into a countercurrent and this enabled Chris Law to steer her ahead of Gilmour and the Ragamuffin team. She then led Ragamuffin into Plymouth Sound by just 11 seconds, with Corum Saphir a further 12 seconds astern. 

However, Ragamuffin lost a place to Corum Saphir on corrected time, which was crucial for the overall results. After Larouge’s dismasting, the Cup result became a battle between Australia and Germany, and much depended on the One Tonners. Pinta was the difference, finishing seven minutes ahead of Brava Q8 and, more importantly, one place ahead of Jamieson 2 on corrected time. 

A subsequent protest against Jameson 2 by Prevezza Sauce under the Collision Regulations about an alleged luffing incident during the hours of darkness, which would have raised Ninja by one point and given the Cup to Australia, was dismissed by the International Jury and the final result, and Germany’s victory, was confirmed. 

It is noted that without the discard scoring system, Germany's points margin would have been even higher, so at least the 'right' country won under the 1993 system. Ragamuffin was the highest individual points scorer.

An excellent video of the close racing experienced during the series can be seen below.

 

This article (April 2025) is adapted from the accounts within Bob Fisher's article in 'Admiral's Cup Blow by Blow', September 1993 (as printed in Boating NZ magazine) and Timothy Jefferey in The Official History of the Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup (1994). 

Kenwood Cup 1988 - Part 2

This post follows an earlier article about the 1988 edition of the Kenwood Cup that featured photographs by Sharon Green. The following gallery focuses mainly on the Maxi fleet (who were holding their World Championship for that year) and includes photographs by Kaoru Soehata, Guy Gurney and Phil Uhl.

Ondine VII leads Windward Passage 2 (the winner of Class A) and Congere in tight reaching conditions during the 1988 Kenwood Cup (photo Guy Gurney)

Il Moro di Venezia leads Ondine VII and Matador (photo Kaoru Soehata)

An aerial shot of Congere in hard reaching conditions (photo Guy Gurney)

Sorcery leading Il Moro di Venezia, Ondine VII and Matador (photo Guy Gurney)

Ondine VII just after hoisting the spinnaker on a reaching leg - likely a sea-level shot taken at about the same time as the first photograph above (photo Guy Gurney)

A start of Class E, with General Hospital leading off the windward end with The Esanda Way (aka-Beyond Thunderdome) to leeward - Ultimate Challenge, Sagacious V and Bravura are visible further down the line (photo Phil Uhl)

Above and below - The leaders in the One Ton fleet near a gybe mark, with Bravura leading from Sagacious V, with Japan's Victoria and Brazil's Black Jack coming up from behind - Britain's Juno can also be seen to the left in the photo below (photos by Phil Uhl)

Another Class E start, with Sagacious V leading (photo Phil Uhl)

Ondine VII powers to windward (photo Guy Gurney)

An aerial view of French 'mini-Maxi' Emeraude (photo Kaoru Soehata)

Matador (right) and Il Moro di Venezia nearing a downwind mark (photo Guy Gurney)

Foredeck action aboard the 54-footer Jubilation at a leeward mark (photo Guy Gurney)

Ondine VII to weather of Sorcery (photo Guy Gurney)

The crew of Il Moro di Venezia prepare for a windward mark rounding (photo Guy Gurney)

Article updated January 2026

SORC 1983 - Part 2

Kialoa IV (right), Windward Passage and Nirvana in a close tussle off the startline during one of the races during the 1983 SORC (photo Phil Uhl)

This post features photographs from the SORC 1983 series taken by Phil Uhl. For more about this series, see an earlier post and article here, and the regatta video here.

Brooke Ann, a Nelson-Marek 41-footer, just ahead of Glory and hard on the heels of Scarlett O'Hara, in close racing in Class D - Scarlett O'Hara would go on to finish second in class (and be top yacht overall), with Glory eighth (Peterson 42) and Brooke Ann 12th (photo Phil Uhl)

Leeward mark action in Class D during the 1983 SORC, with Locura leading Mea Culpa, Thunderbolt (US-31666) and Bright Finish (US-31177) (photo Phil Uhl)

Obsession, a S&S 46-footer, comes to grief in hard reaching conditions off Miami during the 1983 SORC, while chasing Secret Love (right) in the Class C division (photo Phil Uhl)

Fame, seen here to windward of Glory in a Class D start, likely the Miami-Nassau race (photo Phil Uhl)

Quest, a Rodgers 43-footer, to leeward of Glory (photo Phil Uhl)

The Peterson 45-footer Secret Love, to leeward of Avalanche, a Morgan 45-footer after a start in Class C - Secret Love went on to finish second in class (photo Phil Uhl)

Class B yacht Zero, a Frers 51-footer, in tight reaching conditions to leeward of Artemis (photo Phil Uhl)

The Farr 37 Migizi, top yacht in Class F, and 10th yacht overall (photo Phil Uhl)

A Maxi-fleet start (Class A), with Triumph seen here to windward of Nirvana, Kialoa IV and Windward Passage (photo Phil Uhl)

Quest in fresh downwind conditions (photo Phil Uhl)

Windward Passage in pre-start manoeuvres with Kialoa IV during the 1983 SORC - Kialoa IV went on to take overall honours in Class A, with Windward Passage second (photo Phil Uhl)

Stars & Stripes, a Nelson/Marek 39-footer, finished a lowly 16th in Class E (and 60th overall)

Alberta Bound, a Peterson 44-footer, finished 12th in Class C (photo Phil Uhl)

Another busy startline for the Maxis, with Windward Passage, Midnight Sun and Condor, and Nirvana visible to windward (photo Phil Uhl)

The peculiar looking 'rule beater' Cascade, a Milgrim 38-footer rating just 23.3ft, finished ninth in Class F (photo Phil Uhl)

At the St Petersburg Yacht Club marina, with Thunderbolt and Charisma V, in the foreground, and Windward Passage (photo Phil Uhl)

Part of the SORC 1983 fleet at the St Peterburg Yacht Club marina (photo Phil Uhl)

More photographs from this series can be seen here.

Article dated November 2024

Big Boat Series - 1985-1990

The IOR 50-footer Abracadabra powers across a startline during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The St Francis Perpetual Trophies Regatta, which became known as the Big Boat Series, was an annual regatta hosted in San Francisco Harbour by the St Francis Yacht Club, first run in 1964. After the unprecedented cancellation of the 2001 edition of the series, Latitude 38 magazine published a retrospective on the regatta, which itself was an update of its September 1993 article titled '30 Years of the Big Boat Series - Thanks for the Memories'. I have combined this overview of the results for the 1985-1990 period and have included a 'Sail' magazine article covering the 1985 regatta and some spectacular photos from Sharon Green, Guy Gurney and Phil Uhl. An earlier article featuring the 1978-1984 regattas can be seen here.

The Reichel/Pugh 43-footer Sidewinder sails downwind in typically fresh conditions during the 1985 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

The 1985 Big Boat Series demonstrated once again that it pays to have a new boat, but not too new. The regatta, held from 15 to 21 September, featured five class winners (amongst the 54-boat fleet) that were recently built but had enough miles for rethinking, redesigning and rebuilding. The Reichel/Pugh 43 Lobo was sailing on its second keel, as was the Nelson/Marek 49 Crazy Horse, which was also on its seventh rudder.

Coyote in a hotly contested fleet of 40-footers, with Bondi Tram visible to leeward (KA-806) during the 1985 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The 1985 edition was also notable for the support of the ‘new’ One Ton class, with only 0.3ft of rating separating the 15 smallest 40-foot boats, racing for the Rheem Trophy in a class that included ten One-Tonners and featured the toughest competition of the week. Constant changes in fortune kept the outcome in doubt until the final day, when a second place for John MacLaurin’s Davidson-designed Pendragon put them ahead of the Andrews 39 Impact. The Beneteau 39 Coyote (Irving Loube) and the Farr 40 General Hospital were close behind.

Fujimo leads Carat and Blade Runner during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Guy Gurney)

The San Francisco sea-breeze funneled in over the race area like clockwork, building to over 20-knots each day. Early races were sailed entirely on flood tides, which put a premium on upwind speed. This was no problem for Lobo, skippered by Tom Whidden, which won three races and Keefe-Kilborn Trophy, and edging out the Reichel/Pugh 42 It’s OK and the Nelson/Marek 41 Clockwork.

Abduction runs downwind alongside Lobo, seen here during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Two members of the 1985 US Admiral’s Cup team competed against eight other boats for the Atlantic Perpetual Trophy. After a rushed trip to California from England, Bill Power’s Nelson/Marek 43 High Roler set the pace, winning three races to lead from the Frers 43 Shockwave and fellow team boat Sidewinder, a Reichel/Pugh 43. Meanwhile, Crazy Horse won four straight races in the City of San Francisco Trophy. She was the third lowest rating boat in a class of ten boats with a rating band of 10.7ft. The flood tides gave the bigger boats more time to work clear, but on the Bay, courses are tight, with short legs and turning marks that come around nearly as soon as a sail can be packed. That kept Crazy Horse within striking distance of quicker yachts such as the Soverel 55 The Shadow and the Frers 50 Tomahawk (second). The 1984 winner of this class, Blade Runner, was third.

The amazing spectacle of the Big Boat Series in the late 1980s captured here by Sharon Green (Ultimate Sailing) - left to right Cadenza, Shockwave, Camouflage, Blade Runner and Mauni Lani Flash

Blade Runner with her colourful spinnaker and blooper set and backlit by the Californian sun during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl) 

The 1986 series featured 53 boats. Gary Appleby's Farr 40 Sagacious came up from Australia to win the subjective 'overall boat of the series', a new award; bumper stickers and buttons proclaiming 'Shit Happens' made their first recorded appearance; Shockwave's 'Twisted Sisters' set a torrid fashion pace. IOR I - Infinity; IOR II - Roller; IOR III - Sleeper; One Ton - Sagacious.

Carat VI sails downwind during the 1987 Big Boat Series, with Locura visible to the left (photo Phil Uhl)

Another shot of Blade Runner, seen here on a reaching leg during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Carat VI (left) and Fujimo during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

In 1987, 46 yachts competed, including 33 IOR racers in three classes. The Atlantic Perpetual class was essentially for the new breed of 50-foot 40-raters, including Fujimo that had arrived after winning her class on the Great Lakes (only to lose her mast in the third race), Wictor Forss’ Carat VI from Sweden and Vadia de Guardiola’s Locura. But it was Jubilation, the Frers 54 steered by Paul Cayard, that swept the class with four victories and which was fast enough upwind to gain nearly enough time for the entire race. As the biggest boat in the fleet, she always sailed in clear air and, although blowing a spinnaker in one race, recovered quickly to hold the lead. Blade Runner was second, Locura third, with Carat VI finishing fourth and Fujimo fifth.

Sidewinder (left) and Camouflage approach a windward mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

In the Keefe-Kilburn Perpetual class, Sidewinder, helmed by John  Bertrand, would have been an easy winner If she hadn’t fouled during the start of the second race, leaving Bruce Nelson to steer Insatiable to overall victory. However, the yacht that attracted the most attention was Quintessence, a new Reichel-Pugh 42 that had won every event since her launch in the prior spring. With a solid lead going into the final race, the crew suffered a rash of gear problems that dropped the to eighth in that race and second overall. Despite being the smallest yacht in her class, she showed remarkable power in all winds and seas. Sidewinder finished third overall, with Camouflage fourth and Jano fifth.

Quintessence to windward of the larger Locura (photo Phil Uhl)

The Rheem Perpetual class drew the largest fleet (14 boats), primarily consisting of One Tonners. The Davidson-designed Pendragon III, skippered by Kimo Worthington, won the class by never finishing lower than third and proved that a redesigned keel and rudder could make an already quick boat even faster. At one start, Pendragon was forced to decide between hitting another boat and the starting buoy. Choosing the mark, and re-rounding while the others sailed away, Pendragon steadily ground down the fleet and won the race, as well as winning the 'overall performer' award for the series. Pacific Sundance was second, with Coyote third, Skedaddle fourth and Bondi Tram fifth. General Hospital was dismasted in front of the clubhouse.

Lobo rounds a weather mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series ahead of former New Zealand yacht Equity (Farr 43) (photo Phil Uhl)

Australia's Contractor approaches a windward mark ahead of Camouflage during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Swiftsure leads Blade Runner downwind during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Another photo capturing the colour of top level racing in the 1987 Big Boat Series, with Fujimo seen here leading Swiftsure with Blade Runner further astern (photo Phil Uhl)

The Soverel-designed 50-footer Locura running downwind wtih spinnaker and blooper set during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Part of the One Ton fleet in the 1987 Big Boat Series, General Hospital follows Sundance (left), with Bondi Tram just visible ahead (yellow blooper) and eventual winner of the division Pendragon leading (photo Phil Uhl)

Fujimo crosses ahead of Carat at a weather mark during the 1987 series (photo Phil Uhl)

The Reichel/Pugh One Tonner Skedaddle rounds a leeward mark during the 1987 Big Boat Series, she went on to finish fourth in class (photo Phil Uhl)

1988 was the Big Boat Series' 25th anniversary, as well as IOR's last big hurrah in the US. Although featuring a reduced entry of 38 boats, everything fell into place to make this a fabulous event - it followed a maxi year at the Kenwood Cup and the One Ton Worlds that were held two weeks prior on the Bay. Raul Gardini and Paul Cayard teamed up on Il Moro to decimate eight other maxis with five bullets, while Tom Blackaller called tactics on the victorious Farr 50 Great News against nine hot 50-footers, edging out Royal Blue and Abracadabra. Blade Runner hooked a buoy with its lazy runner and inverted her mast three feet, but it didn't break. The Peter Gilmour-driven maxi Sovereign broke theirs, however. Maxi - Il Moro di Venezia; IOR 50 - Great News; IOR II -Shockwave; One Ton - Pendragon.

Big Boat Series - The Shadow (Soverell 55) leads Checkmate and Jubilation (photographer unknown)

A mighty battle occurred amongst a fleet of eight maxis in the 1988 Big Boat Series, though it was won convincingly by Il Moro di Venezia - here we see Congere leading Matador (US-33700), Sovereign and Windward Passage II in tight reaching conditions on the Bay (photo Guy Gurney)

The bowman working in white water aboard Fujimo, trailing Insatiable, during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Guy Gurney)

The Vallicelli-designed 50-footer Springbok in power reaching conditions during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing)

For 1989 it was evident that interest had declined further, with entries reducing to just 24 boats, possibly the Big Boat Series’ darkest hour. Cadillac sponsored this series (the first time that sponsorship was allowed) and ESPN televised it (with a heavy focus on the 50-foot and 70-foot sleds). IOR I - Shockwave; IOR II - Pendragon.

Sorcery in a close tussle with Matador during the 1988 Big Boat Series (photo Sharon Green)

Bloopers as well as spinnakers kept the bowman busy during the 1980's - in this case Blade Runner during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

The 1990 series featured a whole new look, with the regatta shortened from its previous week-long format to six races over four days. Two different courses were used for the first time, and attracted 57 boats. The highly-touted IMS rule debuted to mixed reviews, while IOR wheezed through its final death throes. Meanwhile, the rest of the series quietly went one design. IOR I - Blade Runner, IOR II – Will.

More bowman action, again during the 1987 Big Boat Series (photo Phil Uhl)

Article updated July 2026