Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

52 Super Series ready to rumble in Mahon, Menorca

by 52 Super Series 28 Jun 2023 06:53 AEST 5-9 July 2023
52 Super Series ready to rumble in Mahon, Menorca © Nico Martinez / 52 Super Series

To many observers it may seem like the 2023 52 SUPER SERIES season has only just started but in fact when the fleet convenes this coming weekend in the historic natural harbour of Mahon in Menorca, this third regatta of the year will take the very evenly matched, highly refined TP52 fleet past the season's midpoint.

Ergin Imré's Turkish flagged Provezza team, led by Kiwi helm John Cutler, arrive in Menorca after winning both events so far this season in Saint-Tropez, France and Scarlino, Italy. They hold a seven points margin at the top of the 2023 championship standings ahead of Doug DeVos' Quantum Racing powered by American Magic whilst Harm Müller Spreer's German flagged Platoon are third, some 20 points behind circuit leaders Provezza.

Menorca, with its open race area is especially liked by the teams. The littler Balearic island is too small to generate the dependable strong sea-breezes the like of, say, the Bay of Palma. But also there are no significant geographic features to affect the breeze. Ashore the beautiful old city and its waterfront bars and restaurants are popular with discerning summer tourists who enjoy a much quieter, gentler pace of life than other busier, bigger Spanish city destinations. And as hosts the Club Maritimo de Mahon pull out all the stops to deliver a great event every time.

Three peating?

This will be the fifth visit of the 52 SUPER SERIES to Menorca. While Provezza will be bidding to extend to a run of three back-to-back wins, Germany's double world champions Platoon will also actually be looking to extend their record of winning in Mahon to three straight. Müller Spreer's team won last time, in 2021, ahead of Alegre and Quantum Racing and in 2019 they triumphed ahead of Provezza and Quantum Racing. In 2017 Azzurra won and in 2016 Quantum Racing were crowned TP52 world champions.

The teams will be racing for the one of the class's premier trophies, the Royal Cup. Known in full as the Royal Cup Challenge Trophy it was raced for by the IMS 50 class originally to which it was donated in 1995 by owners King Harald of Norway, Pasquale Landolfi, Willi Illbruck and Yannis Costopoulos. Current holders are Quantum Racing.

Circuit leaders Provezza won the Royal Cup in 2019, have a good record in Menorca and are enjoying a great run of form. Given their good all-round speed, good starting and quiet consistency of the first two regattas of the season there is every chance Provezza could win again.

"Would we be surprised to win again? Who would have said we would win in Scarlino?....but we did! Nothing, nothing at all can be expected in this class right now. It would be presumptuous to say we could, but we really just plan to keep doing what we have done well so far, keep sailing well, keep starting well and we have the boatspeed to stay out of trouble. And if we continue to do that we can win again, sure.", chuckles Provezza's navigator Nacho Postigo.

Postigo underlines how much more open the Menorca track should be: "Menorca really has to rely on the gradient breeze and so we can expect anything, we might get easterlies, we might get a strong Mistral, hopefully we get a bit of everything."

And aside from their own prospects Postigo says he believes Platoon were showing signs getting back to their best after too many errors and penalties have held them back so far this season.

"I was watching them closely in Scarlino and they were actually sailing well. Vasco is starting to really get his brain into the racing and their comms is getting better all the time. They should do well.", he adds.

Platoon poised?

"We've been close in both regattas this season but had poor last days at both and that has cost us. Things haven't gone the way they should have at times. We are happy in whatever we are given in Menorca where we have done well before. We have also done well in both practice races at both regattas and so now we really just need to execute better.", says Platoon's America's Cup winning trimmer Ross Halcrow.

Quantum Racing powered by American Magic missed tactician John Kostecki in Scarlino after the America's Cup and Ocean Race winner had to have a small, non critical emergency medical procedure on the eve of the regatta. Kostecki is recovering well but will again miss this Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup. Victor Diaz de Leon will this time be backed up by navigator Ian Moore, who has won the series and the world title in the past with the Quantum Racing team.

"I think we did a good solid job in Scarlino even without John who we miss. We went into the last day leading by one point and did not manage to execute which is a little bit down to lack of experience but we have a great speed team. Menorca is such a unique race course but I think, like others, we are not as comfortable there as we are at other venues so all bets are off. ", says Quantum Racing powered by American Magic's team director Ed Reynolds.

Closing the deal on the last day...

Performing to the highest level and making no mistakes when it counts most, on the final races of the final day is absolutely key. Scarlino saw several teams falter in the critical stages. Putting this down to nerves or pressure would be too simplistic. Mostly it is the fact that the whole fleet is so close and pushing so hard there is simply neither the room nor opportunity for everyone to make perfect starts and gain the key positions on the first upwind. Sled and Alegre in particular got to within touching distance of overall victory in Tuscany.

"We struggled a little on the last day but we have debriefed and there were so many good things we did well. But you can't make mistakes. We have done our homework and for sure we have everything we need to win and are so close. But I believe in the end you make your luck, you have to earn it.", says Alegre's Sebastian Tenghange.

Racing starts Wednesday 5th July with the official practice races Tuesday. The Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup will feature three days of Live TV bringing all the action from the water Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Royal Cup winners history

1995 Brava Q8, P. Landolfi
1996 Brava Q8, P. Landolfi
1997 Mean Machine, P.B. de Ridder
2000 Innovision 7, H.J. Eekhof
2001 Brava Q8, P. Landolfi

Since 2012 the Royal Cup Challenge Trophy is awarded as an event trophy in the 52 SUPER SERIES.

Winners were:

2012 Ra´n Racing
2013 Quantum Racing
2014 Quantum Racing
2015 Quantum Racing
2016 Quantum Racing
2017 Azzurra
2018 Luna Rossa
2019 Provezza
2021 Platoon
2022 Quantum Racing

52 SUPER SERIES 2023 Provisional Standings after Scarlino:

1- PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 34+42 = 76pts
2- QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 40+43 = 83pts
3- PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 45+51 = 96pts
4- SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 45+52 = 97pts
5- INTERLODGE (USA), Austin and Gwen Fragomen, 45+54 = 99pts
6- VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 58+48 = 106pts
7- GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 40+66 = 106pts
8- ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 43+64 = 107pts
9- PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso and Tina Plattner, 57+71 = 128pts
10- PAPREC (FRA), Jean Luc Petithuguenin, 56+81 = 137pts
11- ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 65+91 = 156pts

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
Maritimo M75Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERsMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZ