The counters have returned to zero when the 52 Super Series 2024 starts this weekend

by 52 Super Series 26 Apr 2024 10:04 PDT 27 April - 2 May 2024

The counters have returned to zero when the 52 Super Series 2024 starts this weekend © Nico Martinez

After thrilling end to the 2023 52 SUPER SERIES circuit which saw Germany's Platoon, owned and steered by Harm Müller-Spreer, win the season title on tie-break, the five regatta 2024 circuit opens on Sunday, Mallorca's Bay of Palma at the 52 SUPER SERIES Palma Vela Sailing Week.

And if last year finished on a high, with a suspenseful nail-biting climax which would merit a Hollywood movie script, Season 2024 returns with a high level of intrigue and in effect many more questions than answers.

If there was any kind of form book established last season it has been thrown out the window as a whole different set of variables come into play for this first regatta which is run as part of the RCNP's PalmaVela Sailing Week.

New, new, new to us

Rather than stick with his winning boat, Platoon, Müller-Spreer elected to build a new TP52, Platoon Aviation, from a different design studio. The circuit and World Championship winning crew line up is unchanged, but they have had very little time to tune and test their new machine.

After winning the Saint Tropez and Scarlino titles and then finishing second by only one point in Menorca and again at the Rolex TP52 World Championships in Barcelona Ergin Imre's Provezza led for most of the 2023 season but an unusual, unexpected rigging failure in the early days of the season's decider - also on the Bay of Palma - saw Provezza's 18 points lead evaporate entirely and they finished a heartbreaking second to Platoon.

But rather than resume this season where they left off, with the same boat same team, Provezza will only race this season opener before they take time away to await the completion of a brand new Provezza which will be launched in August to compete only in the last to events of the season. The Provezza crew, led by Kiwi helm John Cutler, tactician Hamish Pepper and Palma based ace navigator Nacho Postigo are determined to sign off with a win at their last regatta with the outgoing Provezza boat, and lay to rest the ghosts of Palmas past. As well as losing last season's title to that technical failure, in August 2019 their title challenge hit the buffers when their mast broke when racing at the Puerto Portals regatta also on the Bay of Palma.

And, again, there are off-season changes to the Quantum Racing powered by American Magic sailing team. Doug DeVos's benchmark, four times circuit champions bring in four new young sailors to the program to profit from the American Magic program to provide top level training opportunities and fast track the grand prix racing skills of future America's Cup sailors. Newcomers to the team, which is skippered for the first time by tactician Victor Diaz De Leon, are strategist Nevin Snow, Evelyn Hull will be this circuit's first ever female navigator, Alex Sinclair is their new grinder and downwind trimmer Ian Liberty is also new to the team.

Andy Soriano's GBR flagged team also have a brand new Botin designed successor to their previous Alegre which they have had slightly longer than hull sistership Platoon Aviation. Fourth in Saint Tropez and in Menorca, third in Puerto Portals their only crew change is bringing in Spain's 470 2020 Olympian and World Champion Sylvia Mas to a very strong and settled team which has the potential to finish on the podium this season. They hope the new boat will be the catalyst for the small step up needed.

New Gladiator

With the addition to Tony Langley's Gladiator team of Argentina's three times circuit champion Guillermo Parada to the afterguard, as helm, as well as Parada's long time Azzurra navigator Italian Bruno Zirilli, the British flagged team were on regatta podiums three times last year. They now have a new Gladiator in the shape of the previous Alegre. So, again, although they have a very much unchanged crew line up, they have been learning a new boat.

"In so many respects it's back to zero for so many teams after last year. There are so many variables in the equation a lot will be determined by who can master these variables in the equation. We are still putting the pieces together and learning this boat which is a little bit more powerful than the last one. And the new boats are more powerful still so it is going to be interesting." Says the past circuit champion skipper Parada.

Other personnel changes include past World Championship winning tactician, Britain's Ado Stead joining the Sled team to partner New Zealand's five times America's Cup winner Murray Jones and on Jean Luc Petithuguenin's Paprec, veteran French ocean racing legend Loick Peyron is set to sail the season as tactician. And on Austin and Gwen Fragomen's Interlodge Spanish-Brazilian Olympian Carlos Robles joins as strategist alongside Cameron Appleton.

Going to Newport

As it enters a 13th successful season as the world's leading grand prix monohull circuit, the 52 SUPER SERIES Palma Vela Sailing Week is the opening event of a five regatta circuit. Ten teams will race this coming week representing seven different nations. As soon as the regatta finishes the fleet will be shipped to the USA. This year the circuit visits Newport, Rhode Island for the first time. Hosted by the New York YC from Monday 10th June to Sunday 16th June the second 52 SUPER SERIES event of the season will be part of the NYYC 170th Annual Regatta. The 52 SUPER SERIES Newport Trophy fleet will have a lay day on the Friday which will give the teams the chance to compete in the Annual Regatta's Around-the-Island race.

Then from Monday 15th July to Saturday 20th July the 2024 Rolex TP52 World Championship will also take place also on the waters of Narangansett Bay coinciding with the famous Race Week at Newport, presented by Rolex.

"It will be great to go racing in Newport where there are real tidal currents and very different weather patterns to what we usually see in the Mediterranean, and again the teams which can learn and adapt to this will do well." Highlights Parada.

The fleet return to Spain to race at Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week over the last week in August and the decisive regatta will be in Valencia at the Valencia 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week.

And so there are no stand out favourites for this 2024 season's title. As ever, any one of five or six top boats could top the season's podium at Valencia's glittering prize-giving on the 28th September. Might it be one of the new boats? Or will this first regatta of the season prove critical?

"We are very much looking forwards to this season which I feel will be every bit as exciting as the last one. Going to the USA and to Newport RI in particular is another new chapter in our history. And returning to venues in Spain where we are well supported and always mad to feel at home is very pleasing. We have a great group of committed owners who love their sport, who are prepared to invest in moving the circuit ever forwards and having a good time, racing hard on the water but enjoying a unique shared camaraderie." Concludes 52 SUPER SERIES CEO Agustin Zulueta.