Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week – DAY 1
Two short, sharp practice races which served as the final warm before the start of Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week were won by Tony Langley’s Gladiator and Doug DeVos’ American Magic Quantum Racing today on the Bay of Palma in Mallorca racing out of Puerto Portals Marina.
Tony Langley’a British flagged boat made a strong start to the first race and led round the top mark of a single lap circuit which comprised the first test whilst American Magic led the second through the finish line pursued by Ergin Imre’s Provezza.
For the return to the Mediterranean of the world’s leading grand prix monohull circuit, the light breeze of seven to nine knots was a very sharp contrast to the brisk, muscular conditions which prevailed at last month’s Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais, Portugal. And even from today’s two warm up tests there was additional evidence that any one of eight or nine boats from the 12 strong line up could win this week.
Tactician on defending Portals champions Gladiator Guillermo Parada said: “We are here to defend our title from last year and as we are not aiming for a top position on the overall championship we are trying to push hard to do as well as we can in each single regatta. We need to only focus on other teams we think have a good chance of winning and we are looking to only get to the last day with a chance of defending our title. The whole fleet has improved overa couple of years and eight or nine boats can win races, when before there were, four, five boats winning 80 per cent of the races. That makes it a lot more challenging and all the positions are a lot more up and down. So our objective is to avoid the bad results and keep the position in each race as best as possible.”
Home debut
Mallorca’s Elvira Llabrés makes her 52 SUPER SERIES. Racing debut this week She will do so as navigator for the Thai team Vayu, in the afterguard along with British Olympic medallist Nick Rogers and Mallorcan Manu Weiller. Part of the America’s Cup winning BMW Oracle Racing team in 2010, she was involved in the 2024 edition as data and performance engineer for the British team INEOS Britannia. Although her extensive racing record includes working with the technical team of the Swedish TP52 Rán, today was her racing debut in a 52 SUPER SERIES regatta: “It’s a lot of fun, a very dynamic boat, much more than I’m used to, and I’m enjoying the experience and learning a lot. Vayu is like a big family and they are welcoming me very, very well. So far, it feels really good.‘
Llabrés appreciates the added value of making her debut on her native Mallorca waters. ’Sailing at home is fantastic; what better place to start in this class than here. The fleet is very strong, there are a lot of boats with a lot of very good people and a very high level.‘
Among the more than 160 crew members of 23 nationalities competing this week, she shares the role of navigator with American Sara Stone of American Magic Quantum Racing: ’I’m delighted that there are more and more girls on the circuit.”
The social highlight of the day was the visit of New Zealand model, actress and presenter Rachel Hunter, who sailed aboard the Hong Kong-based Alpha+ skippered by Shawn and Tina Kang. Back on land she was enthusiastic about the experience: “It was incredible. Impressive. At first, we were a bit stuck because there was no wind, but in an instant everything changed. These boats are incredible, the intensity with which the crew work, and the fact that they rely on Mother Nature to be able to sail… I would love to do it again.”
PUERTO PORTALS 52 SUPER SERIES SAILING WEEK. ENTRIES
Alegre (GBR) Andy Soriano
Alkedo Vitamina (ITA) Andrea Lacorte
Alpha + (HKG) Shawn and Tina Kang
American Magic Quantum Racing (USA) Doug De Vos
Crioula (BRA) Eduardo and Renato Plass
Gladiator (GBR) Tony Langley
Paprec (FRA) Jean-Luc Petithugeunin
Platoon Aviation (GER) Harm Müller-Spreer
Provezza (TUR) Ergin Imre
Sled (USA) Takashi Okura
Teasing Machine (FRA) Eric de Turckheim
Vayu (THA) Whitcraft family.
52 SUPER SERIES 2025 Standings after 3 events
1. American Magic Quantum Racing, 18+23+42 = 93
2. Sled, USA, 13+58+51 = 122
3. Paprec, FRA, 23,5+ 63+43 = 129,5
4. Alkedo, ITA, 28+49+61 = 138
5. Platoon Aviation, GER, 36+44+63 = 143
6. Vayu, THA, 27+68+65 = 160
7. Alpha+, HKG, 21,5+68+71 = 160,5
8. Alegre, GBR, 30+71+62 = 163
9. Provezza, TUR, Ergin Imre, 30+64+81 = 175
10. Phoenix, RSA, 48+69+60 = 177
11. Gladiator, GBR, 12+120+63 = 195
12. Teasing Machine, FRA, 48+73+120 = 241
13. Crioula, BRA, 28+120+120 = 268
Puerto Portals, past winners
2024 Gladiator
2023 Phoenix
2022 Phoenix
2021 Sled
2019 Platoon
2018 Quantum Racing
2017 Provezza
2016 Quantum Racing
2015 Azzurra (TP52 World Championship)
