Quantum Racing leading as 52 SUPER SERIES kicks off

Following the cancellation of the first event of the series in Valencia in July, the 52 SUPER SERIES finally kicked off yesterday in Mallorca with the Puerto Portales Sailing Week and the 20^th Anniversary Invitational.

At the end of the first day’s racing Quantum Racing, steered by Doug DeVos, was at the top of the nine boat leader board after a second and a first in the opening two races on the Bay of Palma.

With tactician Terry Hutchinson, now partnered by Argentinian 470 Olympic bronze medallist Lucas Calabrese at the back of Quantum Racing and Michele Ivaldi navigating, there were glimpses of the gold standard team performances that have in the past won four 52 SUPER SERIES titles. 

“It was a good way to start the regatta and the season,” says Ivaldi. “It was good to see Terry and Lucas always putting us in the best places on the race course and that was the key. There are still races left, but we come out of the first day with a lot of confidence.”

Skippered by Harm Müller-Spreer, German flagged Platoon won the first race but were fourth in the next, leaving the team lying in second place overall at the end of the first day.

Platoon’s runner, Victor Mariño, comments: “We have all missed racing so much and Puerto Portals has an important place in the history of the TP52 in the Med and also our story as a team, winning the world championships here in 2019, so it was really great to start with a win.”

Russian Bronenosec Gazprom lies in third place after jumping the start gun on the first race and having to recross, and Great Britain’s Gladiator is currently at the back of the fleet in ninth place.

The seven strong 20th Anniversary Invitational fleet also had two good races which saw Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste triumph in both. Roberto Monti’s Air Is Blue lies second overall after a second and third, while newcomer to the class, THA 72, lies third.

52 SUPER SERIES, standings after two race:

1. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (2,1) 3 pts.
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (1,4) 5 p.
3. Bronenosec Gazprom (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (8,2) 10 p.
4. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (7,3) 10 p.
5. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (5,5) 10 p.
6. Phoenix (RSA) (Hasso Plattner) (3,8) 11 puntos.
7. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (4,7) 11 p.
8. Interlodge (USA) (Austin Fragomen) (6,6) 12 p.
9. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (9,9) 18 p.

20th Anniversary Invitational

1. Beau Geste (HK) (1,1) 2 pts
2. Air is Blue (ITA) (2,3) 5 p.
3. THA72 (THA) (4,2) 6 p.
4. Zero Emission (FIN) (6,4.5) 10.5 p.
5. XIO (ITA) (3,DNF8) 11 p.
6. Arobas (FRA) (5,6), 11 p.
7. Blue Carbon (ESP) (7,4,.5) 11.5 p.