Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week - Overall

by 52 Super Series 26 Jul 2022 16:11 UTC 22-26 July 2022

The Plattner family's South African flagged Phoenix laid to rest the ghosts of November past when they today clinched the third regatta title of the 2022 52 SUPER SERIES season, the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week, which finished in perfect 17-20kts NE'ly offshore breezes.

After going on the water carrying a two points lead over the 52 SUPER SERIES 2021 circuit title holders Sled, Phoenix completed their first regatta win with two assured second places to win by 12 points, the biggest winning margin of the 2022 season yet.

And with Quantum Racing returning a fourth place, 19 points behind the winners - two shy of the Mallorca podium - Phoenix now top the circuit season standings by two points as the fleet now head to Scarlino, Tuscany in September.

Theirs is a popular, some might say overdue title triumph. In November at the world championships they led the penultimate race and were on course for the world title and a potential late tilt at the 2021 overall when their spinnaker blew up spectacularly on the last run.

Doubly motivated this season they led after the first two days in Baiona before a bogey day killed their challenge. And in Cascais they missed the podium by two points largely because of one mid regatta eighth place.

Racing on the Bay of Palma out of Puerto Portals, the crew which has Australian Sail GP champion and 2012 Laser Olympic champion Tom Slingsby as tactician, supported by Kiwi Cameron Dunn, has maintained top line consistency, scoring nothing worse than one fourth except for a sole 8th place. This time that deep score was however offset by four race wins and three second positions from 10 starts.

While Phoenix's Puerto Portals victory surely exorcises the memories of last season's unfortunate finale, this event did not start perfectly for them. On the eve of the event's first points races they were speared by Provezza's bowsprit during the official practice session causing minor structural damage to their port aft quarter.

On the same afternoon the Phoenix support RIB's engines were damaged when it was hit by another team's chase boat. But the shore teams worked into the night to ensure they were good to go on the morning. The Phoenix sailing team responded with a 1,3 to tie with Takashi Okura's Sled, their final day rivals.

"This feels amazing not just winning but winning comfortably with this team. I have been saying for a long time that we are right on the edge and we have had a couple of podiums, thirds and fourths and just missed the regatta win. It feels great with such an amazing team we have here. And a special thank you to the Plattner family who kept the boat sailing through these tough times.", smiled Phoenix's Slingsby who now adds a 52 SUPER SERIES regatta win to his long list of major sailing titles.

The Plattner family team also came close to winning at home in Cape Town in February 2020 and have a strong core of South African sailors, not least project manager Tony Norris who has steered last season and this, but including Matt Whitehead in the pit, Paul Willcox on main, North Sails Shane Elliot as navigator and Shaun Pammenter grinder and weather guru. Trimmers are Kiwi Morgan Trubovich and Italian Lorenzo Mazza.

Sled did not have the final day they needed but sailed a solid week making few mistakes.

"I think we are quite happy in the end with second. It was a tough day today and we did not execute some of the things well but all the way through we have had a really good run and sailed well. We have some new sails and are going quicker and that helps with better decisions and also we have cleaned up some things. Tactically we have not always done well at fleet management and we cleaned that up a bit.", said Sled coach Rod Davis.

For Ergin Imre's Provezza team which finished with a 1,7,1,3 flourish their third position is a huge confidence booster at a venue which has been a team favourite since winning here in 2017.

"We felt we were having good regatta but were still making the odd mistake but we finished strong in the last couple of days. I think things started to play our way a bit. I don't really think we did anything much different to before. The owner says this is our bay and we finally delivered and so he is very happy and that is important and good for us all.", said John Cutler Provezza helm. The circuit now moves to Scarlino, Italy for the fourth regatta September 26th - October 1st.

Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week Overall: (after 10 races)

1 PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso Plattner, 1+3+1+8+1+4+2+1+2+2 = 25 pts
2 SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 2+2+4+4+3+1+5+2+8+5 = 36 pts
3 PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 3+8+5+5+4+5+1+7+1+3 = 42 pts
4 QUANTUM RACING (USA), Doug DeVos, 8+6+7+2+2+2+3+3+7+4 = 44 pts
5 INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 4+1+3+3+9+3+8+6+5+8 = 50 pts
6 PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 5+4+8+1+5+7+4+5+6+6 = 51 pts
7 ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 6+7+2+7+7+8+7+4+3+1 = 52 pts
8 GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 7+5+6+9+6+9+9+9+4+7 = 71 pts
9 VAYU (THAI), Whitcraft Family, 9+9+9+6+8+6+6+8+9+9 = 79 pts.

Provisional 52 SUPER SERIES 2022 Overall Ranking: (after three regattas, Baiona, Cascais, Puerto Portals)

1 PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 27+42+25 = 94 pts
2 QUANTUM RACING (USA), Doug DeVos, 19+33+44 = 96 pts
3 PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 26+40+51 = 117 pts
4 SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 43,5+44+36 = 123,5 pts
5 ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 43+41+52 = 136 pts
6 PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 61+54+42 = 157 pts
7 INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 39+71+50 = 160 pts
8 VAYU (THAI), Whitcraft Family, 45+54+79 = 178 pts
9 GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 60+73+71 = 204 pts

Related Articles

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
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
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterLloyd Stevenson - Catalyst GT 1456x180px BOTTOMHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range