Please select your home edition
Edition

Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week - Day 4

by 52 Super Series 31 Aug 2024 19:35 BST 28 August - 1 September 2024

After a long, hot, but very exciting Saturday of racing on the Bay of Palma, Harm Müller-Spreer's 2023 circuit champions Platoon Aviation go into tomorrow's decisive last two races of the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week with a three points lead over both the world champions Gladiator and Quantum Racing powered by American Magic who are both locked on the same aggregate.

It is the first time this season that the German flagged team has led into the last day, reflecting an upturn in the performance of the crew with their new 2024 boat. But for all that, they arrived back at Puerto Portals Marina somewhat disappointed with their day, reflecting on what could have been after getting not one but two successive penalties in consecutive races, both resulting in weighty ninth place finishes.

With 13 boats competing - all very evenly-matched on a race track which most often yielded a benefit on the left side -consistency was elusive. Whilst Platoon Aviation went 9,9,6 for the day and Tony Langley's Gladiator 2,6,10 it was Quantum Racing powered by American Magic which put together the strongest scoreline, staying out of trouble for a 3,3,5 to set up Doug DeVos' crew with a good chance of finally landing what would be the first regatta title as Quantum Racing powered by American Magic.

"We are feeling really good after today. We need to try not to push for doing something special and just look to execute a couple of good races. At the end of the day we have to perform to come out on top." Smiled Quantum Racing powered by American Magic's helm Harry Melges IV of their quest to avoid the last day mistakes - usually on the start lines - which have seen them lose out several times to different teams.

Platoon Aviation's Víctor Mariño acknowledged that today they had not been able to replicate the harmony and concentration of the previous days which had seen them aggregate just 12 points over the first five races: "It has simply been a complicated day, very complicated. A day of mistakes and nerves, bad starts and bad decisions. In a fleet as large and competitive as this one, mistakes are very costly. Now it's time to analyse what we did wrong and why, and try to get back to the level we showed on the first three days of this event. The strategy for tomorrow will be to do our own race and not forget that these are also points for the circuit".

After a second and sixth it looked likely that it would be Gladiator which would lead into Sunday but they were caught up in a finish line drama which lost them three places within the final 100 metres to the line.

Guille Parada the Gladiator helm was philosophical, "It was a tricky day on the water. We did some good things and some less good. I think we sailed a pretty clean first race and held our nerves for a good second place, second one I messed up the start and in the third one I did not have a very good start, we climbed our way up the positions and then we had a gear failure downwind and then we lost three positions on the last run, that hurts. But what can we do? We clear our minds, reset and come back strong tomorrow."

Jean Luc Petithuguenin's Paprec won the first race of the day - their first victory of the season which was gained by executing the best pin end start of the fleet. In the second race it was Takashi Okura's Sled which built the biggest winning margin of the week so far and the third race went to Shawn and Tina Kang's Alpha Plus.

And while there are just three points between Platoon Aviation and the second and third placed Gladiator and Quantum Racing Powered by American Magic, between fourth positioned Paprec and 10th placed Interlodge there are just six points.

Sunday promises the most exciting finale of a season which has not been short of last race, last day dramas. The first warning signal is scheduled for 1230hrs local time. Live coverage starts 15 minutes before the warning signal.

Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week Standings after Day 4:

1. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+2+4+1+3+9+9+6 = 35pts
2. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 3+1+10+5+1+2+6+10 = 38pts
3. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 4+6+3+12+2+3+3+5 = 38pts
4. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 6+8+2+4+8+1+12+11 = 52pts
5. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 11+7+1+6+9+6+5+7 = 52pts
6. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 12+4+7+13+7+5+8+1 = 57pts
7. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 5+9+8+11+10+10+1+4 = 58pts
8. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 7+13+12+2+6+13+2+3 = 58pts
9. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 10+10+5+8+12+4+7+2 = 58pts
10. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 8+3+9+3+4+7+11+13 = 58pts
11. CRIOULA (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 2+12+13+7+13+8+4+8 = 67pts
12. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 9+5+11+9+5+12+10+9 = 70pts
13. TEASING MACHINE (FRA), Eric De Turckheim, 13+11+6+10+11+11+13+12 = 87pts

Related Articles

Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais overall
American Magic Quantum Racing win Rolex TP52 Worlds after breezy week in Cascais. Doug DeVos' American Magic Quantum Racing crew were crowned 2025 Rolex TP52 World Champions today in Cascais, Portugal. Posted on 6 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 4
All on the line Sunday as American Magic Quantum Racing seek to close out eighth world title After three spectacular races today on Cascais, Portugal's showcase high winds arena, Doug DeVos' seven times world title winners American Magic Quantum Racing lead into the final day of the 2025 Rolex TP52 Worlds with a hard earned five points buffer. Posted on 5 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 3
French tour de force gives Paprec world championship lead As the Rolex TP52 World Championship passed its midway point today in Cascais, Portugal it is the French underdogs on Paprec, led by ocean racing legend Loïck Peyron, which has taken the overall lead. Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais Day 2
Consistent American Magic Quantum Racing move clear ahead American Magic Quantum Racing stepped three points clear at the top of the 2025 Rolex TP52 World Championship leaderboard today in Cascais, Portugal on the strength of a first and third from two breezy races. Posted on 3 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais Day 1
Sled sparkle in Cascais' Atlantic surf to lead After seemingly being starved of boisterous top end conditions for some years now Okura's Sled crew have been relishing a return to big breezes and big waves. Posted on 2 Jul
Admiral's Cup 2025 | Interview with the CYCA Team
A highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta from July 17 The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is fielding a highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta that will be run from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the UK, from 17th July 2025. Posted on 1 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais - Practice Day
Will Platoon Aviation's big breeze, big pressure experience prove key to their fourth world title? Of the three past and present world championship winning crews which completed their final practice today in typically muscular 25 knot breezes and big waves out of Cascais, Portugal it was Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation which showed best today. Posted on 1 Jul
Introduction to the Admiral's Cup/Fastnet 2025
After a 22 year abscence, the renowned Admiral's Cup is back. After a break of 22 years, the renowned Admiral's Cup is returning to the international yacht racing scene in July 2025. One short ocean race, three days of inshore racing, and then the fabled Fastnet to finish Posted on 29 Jun
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais preview
Eleven teams hoping the Portuguese venue lives up to its reputation Given that it is a long time since the 52 SUPER SERIES fleet raced in big winds and waves, a breezy final few training days before the start of next week's Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais would be universally welcomed by the 11 teams. Posted on 23 Jun
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez preview
Looking ahead to the 27th edition The elegance of the Classics, the power of the Moderns, the majesty of the Maxis. This dreamlike combination, a legacy of the Nioulargue, will once again come together in the stunning setting of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez from September 27 to October 5. Posted on 22 Jun