RORC AGM | New 2025 Flag Officers & Reduced Rates for Young Sailors
London, 2 December 2025 – The 99th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) took place at the Club’s St James’s London Clubhouse and was also streamed live via Zoom Webinar, connecting its global membership.
With over 4,000 members spanning six continents, the AGM welcomed participants from countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the USA, and the UK.
Key decisions included the election of Flag Officers for 2025, the Club’s centenary year, and the approval of revised membership subscription rates. All motions received overwhelming support from the membership.
On January 1, 2025, RORC Admiral Mike Greville will step down after 25 years of service as a Flag Officer, Commodore, and Admiral. Janet Grosvenor was elected as the first female Admiral in the Club’s history and will work alongside the first female Commodore, Dr Deborah Fish, OBE . This milestone builds on a legacy of female leadership, beginning in 1929 with Baroness André de Neufville as the first female member and Rear Commodore Ray Pitts-Rivers as the first female Flag Officer in 1953.
Other notable appointments include Derek Shakespeare as Vice Commodore following 14 years as Honorary Treasurer, Richard Palmer as the new Honorary Treasurer, and Stefan Jentzsch as Overseas Rear Commodore. Members joining the Main Committee are James Davies, Jennifer Hinkel, and Michael O’Donnell.
A key highlight of the AGM was the introduction of revised membership subscription rates, including free membership for under-18s and significantly reduced rates for under-30s, making RORC membership more accessible to the next generation of sailors.
The 2025 season marks a historic milestone for the Royal Ocean Racing Club as it celebrates 100 years of commitment to ocean racing excellence.
The Rolex Fastnet Race: Organised by the Royal Racing Club since 1925, the world’s biggest offshore yacht race is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025. © ROLEX / Kurt Arrigo
