After a hiatus of more than 20 years, one of the most iconic international sailing competitions has made a triumphant return. The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) this year relaunched the Admiral's Cup, one of the most prestigious offshore races, and considered by many, albeit unofficially, the world championship of offshore sailing. First held in 1957, the Admiral's Cup for decades represented the pinnacle of offshore racing, attracting some of the world's most competitive yachts and sailors. The event’s influence on the sport of sailing world was profound, with a format that made for thrilling racing, while creating a platform that drove major advances in yachting technology, materials and design. 
 

The original format of the regatta featured national teams, each consisting of three boats. The British claimed the coveted trophy nine times, followed by Germany with four victories and America with three.  Italy etched its name on the prestigious trophy in 1995 with a team composed of  Brava, designed by Studio Vallicelli for owner Pasquale Landolfi, alongside Capricorno, owned by Rinaldo Del Bono, and Mumm a Mia, owned by Paolo Gaia.

The 2025 revival of the Admiral's Cup was met with great enthusiasm from both seasoned veterans, keen to relive the challenges of yesteryear, and a new generation of owners who joined the iconic event in late July, proving that its allure remains as strong as ever.

Among the latter was Pierre Casiraghi, who was clearly immediately captivated by the event and who, with his team representing the Yacht Club de Monaco, brought home a historic and hard-fought victory. Adding to the excitement for the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was the participation of Member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati with his two-boat team racing under the YCCS burgee: the wallyrocket51 Django in the AC1 class and Django JPK in the AC2 class. Both crews featured top-tier sailors, with names such as Guillermo Parada, Vasco Vascotto, Michele Paoletti, Bruno Zirilli and Cecilia Zorzi aboard the wallyrocket51, while on the JPK 1180, skipper and tactician Michele Ivaldi was joined by Juan Vila, Ross Halcrow and Federica Salvà, to name but a few. Led by Lombardi Stronati, the teams got off to the best possible start, taking the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda to the top of the overall standings after their first race and subsequently confirming their place among the leaders, ultimately securing an excellent third place at the conclusion of the series of coastal races.

After just one day of rest, the celebrated Rolex Fastnet Race then got underway, one of the most demanding and legendary offshore challenges in the sport of sailing. The boats representing the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda now faced a 695-mile course spanning the English Channel and the Celtic Sea before reaching the finish line in Cherbourg, France. The team managed to secure a podium place with a well-deserved third place, a result that reflects the strength and calibre of the work carried out by the Italian squad throughout the campaign. Congratulations to YCCS Member Giovanni Lombardi Stronati and his team!