DAY 3 – 52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week
While the Thai flagged Whitcraft family team on Vayu continued to sail fast and consistently in the shifty, offshore wind conditions off the Malvarrosa Beach to lead the final event of the season, the 52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week after four races, the 2026 title battle between Harm Müller-Spreer’s circuit leaders Platoon Aviation and Takashi Okura’s second placed Sled remains poised on a knife edge.
Although Platoon were top-scoring boat from today’s two windward-leeward races, a first and a fifth earned in 9-12 knot offshore winds means they have actually made a net one point gain against Sled since the start of the event. They are now 12 points ahead of Sled but tactician Vasco Vascotto returned to the dock in a state of serious frustration with the way he felt he had left points on the race course.
Vascotto grimaced, “Especially in this kind of breeze you have to sail with personality and I think I failed in the second race. We started very well and are leading and then maybe I watched Sled too much. In the shifty breeze you need to sail your own race and we lost three of four places, and that is a pity. One and five, boat of the day is not a bad result at all but as I always say I like to sail well and the result is always a consequence of how you sail, good or bad. Today I think we could have sailed a little better.”
And for all that Vascotto rued the lost points, missing fourth to Trinity in the second race today, his team are sailing well, starting smartly and looking quick and powerful in the modest breeze, they are poised just one point behind Vayu the regatta leaders. And only two points separate the top four points Alkedo Cetilar and Sled tied on 19 points, Vayu on 17 and Platoon on 18.
Vayu remain quietly efficient, scoring 8,2,5,2 so far from the first four races. They have been starting well and seem to be always in the mix at the first top mark. As the fleet head to their home nation of Thailand for the first two regattas of 2027, there is nothing the Whitcraft family would love more than finish their season on a real high note.
“Yesterday was a great day, today was even better. We are getting good starts and getting in phase with the wind shifts early. We stay out of trouble and have made good first mark roundings. We are very good on the first days but now we seem to be good on the second days too, let’s hope we can keep it up.” Explains Vayu’s Mallorca based tactician Manu Weiller.
Italian flagged Alkedo Cetilar won the second race comfortably, just as they did on Tuesday. While the overnight leaders after Day 1 who are Alkedo’s main rivals for third place for the season, the French team on Paprec struggled a little and were on the wrong side of the first windshift on Race 3, Andrea Lacorte’s team have strengthened their grip on the third step on the podium. They are now 16 points up on fourth and fifth, Trinity and Paprec who are now on equal points.
A second win in as many days was a perfect birthday present for the passionate Lacorte,
“What a perfect way to celebrate your birthday, doing well in this biggest ever 16 boat fleet in the top level of monohull sailing in the world!” smiled Lacorte. “I am more than happy, not easy races and recovering both times. We are confident in ourselves, we are confident in the boat but anything can happen.”
On the circuit standings with three days of the 2026 season of racing left, Platoon Aviation lead on 189 points, Sled are second on 201 points, Alkedo Cetilar are third on 236 points and Joakim Sundberg’s Swedish team on Trinity and Jean-Luc Petithuguenin’s Paprec are tied on 252 points.
Racing continues Thursday with a start time scheduled around 1400hrs local time Valencia.
52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week standings after four races.
1. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft Family, 8+2+5+2 = 17
2. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 6+6+1+5 = 18
3. Alkedo Cetilar (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 10+1+7+1 = 19
4. Sled, Takashi Okura, 5+5+3+6 = 19
5. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 1+14+4+4 = 23
6. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 2+3+12+7 = 24
7. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 4+7+13+3 = 27
8. Katana (USA), John Huhn, 9+9+2+12 = 32
9. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 11+11+9+8 = 39
10. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 3+13+15+9 = 40
11. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 14+4+14+11 = 43
12. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 7+8+16+14 = 45
13. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori, 16+15+6+10 = 47
14. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 13+12+10+13 = 48
15. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 12+16+8+15 = 51
16. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 15+10+11+16 = 52
