In a stunning announcement Wednesday evening, the commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club announced that the 2003 Admiral’s Cup will not be held as planned in Ireland.
According to sources, the RORC and the Royal St. George YC could not agree on the format and running of the races. For Billy Burke, an Irish citizen residing in the United States who had just secured sponsorship funding for his Wild Geese Syndicate–a group of Irish sailors living in America that were planning to challenge for the 2003 Admirals Cup–the announcement was especially disappointing. “We had just gotten word last night that wed gotten sponsorship from Irish companies totalling $500,000,” said Burke. “And this morning our sponsors pulled out. because the event isnt going to be held in Ireland.”
The following is the full press release and event schedule from the RORC.
The Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, Peter Rutter, announced today that the Admirals Cup for 2003 would take place in Cowes from 10 to 23 July 2003 and not in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland as previously announced. Peter Rutter explained that the RORC and the Royal St George Yacht Club had not been able to agree the criteria required to run an event at the highest level of international sailing. The Admirals Cup has always been the premier RORC event and has been run by them since its inception. The RORC Commodore feels that it is imperative that this situation should continue.
In returning to Cowes, the RORC will retain the 2 boat Club team and classes that had been previously announced, and the inshore racing will take place in the Solent. The long offshore race will be the Wolf Rock Race. The Admirals Cup will be run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Squadron.
The RORC has been encouraged by the enthusiasm and interest shown in the 2003 event and intends to publish the Notice of Race by 16 November 2002.
An outline program below;
Date Activity
Thursday 10 July Inspection/measurement/registration
Friday 11 July Inspection/measurement/registration
Saturday 12 July 2 x inshore races — Solent
Sunday 13 July 2 x inshore races — Solent
Monday 14 July short offshore
Tuesday 15 July short offshore
Wednesday 16 July 2 inshore races — Solent
Thursday 17 July Long inshore race
Friday 18 July reserve day
Saturday 19 July Wolf Rock race (approx 400 miles) (see note 1)
Sunday 20 July Wolf Rock
Monday 21 July Wolf Rock
Tuesday 22 July Wolf Rock — Prizegiving
Wednesday 23 July reserve Prizegiving
Note 1. A shorter course may be set for the IMS 600 Class
RORC
30th October 2002
