Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

Interlodge team lined up to rejoin the 52 Super Series

by 52 Super Series 26 Jun 2021 07:35 PDT
Interlodge Team - 52 Super Series © 52 Super Series

After an absence of four years, one of the circuit's most popular and committed couples - Austin and Gwen Fragomen - plan to return to the 52 Super Series this season with their Interlodge team and their fifth TP52 since they started grand prix racing in 2007.

The New York Yacht Club members, whose programme is based out of Newport RI seized the opportunity to re-join the 52 Super Series when they purchased the well proven, successful 2018 boat Azzurra, which is in fact the defending series-winning boat, the victors of the 2019 52 Super Series.

Owner-driver Austin Fragomen, partner in a renowned New York law firm, commented:

"Team Interlodge is thrilled to be rejoining the 52 Super Series after an absence of several years. Gwen and I are particularly delighted to return to sail with friends and look forward to world-class competition".

Agustín Zulueta, CEO of the 52 Super Series adds:

"We are delighted to be welcoming Austin and Gwen back to the 52 Super Series starting in Puerto Portals and wish them a lot of success and know they will have fun racing with us in 2021."

The team is looking forward to the opening event of the 2021 season, the Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week & TP52 20th Anniversary Invitational in Mallorca. They plan to arrive early, the new Interlodge 7 already being on the island ready for an extended training programme leading into the regatta.

Kris Matthews the project manager explains:

"We will do all the events this season."

Matthews - like the owners and all the team - can't wait to be back on Europe's finest racing waters, competing in the world's leading grand prix monohull circuit. The appeal is absolutely as strong as ever.

"For us, we all always just loved it," grins Matthews. "We loved the sailing, we love the venues. It is absolutely the top of the game and it all works well with our schedule here in Newport and everything else. Austin and Gwen really enjoy the travel in Europe, and we are all excited to be getting back to joining the best fleet in the world."

He adds:

"It has been a long 19 months, and we have been very cautious with what we do, so we have really done no sailing since 2019. We are looking forward to getting back onto the water and getting back into it. We got into a really nice opportunity to take on the Azzurra, a really great asset and a well proven boat. It was not really on the radar to be doing the 52 Super Series this year, but it was an opportunity too good to miss. This is our fifth TP52 and is Interlodge 7. We all know the game. This a proven boat that will take a lot of the question marks out of our decisions."

Matthews says the Interlodge 7 team will be made up of a lot of the guys who have been racing on the Interlodge in the USA, plus a few proven 52 Super Series guys:

"Jono Swain is joining us, Andy Escourt, Rod Dawson has been with us for eight years, Dave Armitage. We have a few pieces to put in place too. We have a lot of familiar faces who have sailed with us on at least one boat."

And he confirms that the owners' passion for racing is stronger than ever.

"They are as keen as ever. Let's put it this way, Austin really, really missed it on the year off. It is one of the main things he does outside of work, and he still works full time. He is really excited to be back on the circuit, looking forward to seeing friends."

He pays a warm tribute to the championship winning Azzurra team for their help in the transition to the new boat:

"We have had a lot of help from the Azzurra guys, that was part of the appeal. We have all the data, all the intelligence, and so we will take that to our team and move it forward. We have a couple of their shore crews. We will use the North Sails, as the boat came with a lot of sails, some of them new because of the way things ended in South Africa, and there were sails on order, so the plan is to carry forward. We might have some new sails for the worlds. We are long time Quantum customers, but we will use what we have to start with."

The Interlodge team has been going since 2007 and started out with a NYYC 42. Interlodge 2 and 3 were TP52s, Interlodge 4 is the custom Botin 44 that they race from the New York YC. Interlodge 5 was the boat they built in 2017 which became Gladiator, and then Interlodge 6 was the 2015 Bronenosec and now 7 is the 2018 Azzurra.

Related Articles

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
Rolex TP52 World Championship preview
The pinnacle event of the 52 SUPER SERIES will be held at Cascais The annual Rolex TP52 World Championship represents the top tier of monohull grand prix sailing. Held as the pinnacle event of the 52 SUPER SERIES, of which Rolex is also Official Timepiece, the regatta is one of the most revered in the sport. Posted on 19 Jun
Sailing with Matt Cornwell
From youth sailing in Lymington to the America's Cup and TP52 Worlds From youth sailing in Lymington to the America's Cup and TP52 Worlds, Matt's journey has been shaped by resilience, big moments, and life at the bow. We caught up with him to talk favourite races and what he'd be doing if he weren't a sailor. Posted on 13 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup overall
American Magic Quantum Racing are Galician royalty, winning 2nd event of 2025 with a race to spare. Delivering an impressively consistent series across 10 races sailed in broad range of weather conditions Doug DeVos's US flagged crew of American Magic Quantum Racing won the second regatta of the 2025 season to lift the prestigious Royal Cup. Posted on 7 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 4
Hutchinson adding the missing element as American Magic Quantum Racing close in on title Now holding a 13-points lead after today's two races contested at the Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup, American Magic Quantum Racing crew are on the cusp of completing their first 52 SUPER SERIES regatta win since victory in Barcelona in September 2022. Posted on 6 Jun
Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Day 3
Platoon Aviation turn up the heat but don't dent American Magic Quantum Racing's lead After a disappointing first regatta of the season when they finished in an uncharacteristic last position in Saint-Tropez, the fortunes of the German flagged 2023 52 SUPER SERIES overall champions Platoon Aviation seem to have turned for the better. Posted on 5 Jun
Selden 2020 - FOOTERAllen Dynamic 40 FooterMaritimo M600