Is the Côte d'Azure set to deal a dose of déjà vu when 52 SUPER SERIES 2025 season opens next week?

52 SUPER SERIES Saint-Tropez Sailing Week © 52 Super Series / Martinez Studio

Teams from the 52 SUPER SERIES, the world's leading grand prix monohull circuit, have been hard at work through the winter and spring preparing for the 2025 season, technical updates giving way recently to on the water training variously in Valencia and Palma, Mallorca.

So when the first guns sound to start racing in one week's time on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez on the beautiful Côte d'Azure there is no doubt the 11 boat fleet, representing nine different nations, will be competing at the highest level yet. But compared to the first visit to Saint-Tropez, in 2023, there will be a certain sense of déjà vu as competition is as wide open as it was two years ago when Ergin Imre's Turkish flagged crew on Provezza started their season with a stunning victory.

For the first regatta of the five events which comprise the 2025 season, once again, there is no form book, no stand out team. Recent training and tuning actually offered more questions than answers.

The honours could realistically go to any team and at a week before the season starts there is a building sense of excitement and a simmering sense of anticipation as teams start to muster in the scenic, historic harbour at the chic, glitzy heart of the French riviera

Who's who on the starting grid for 52 SUPER SERIES Saint-Tropez Sailing Week?

Alegre GBR (Andy Soriano, USA): Fifth overall on the circuit in 2024 with their best results being a pair of fifths at the two regattas in Newport RI last year Alegre were hurt by a lacklustre finale to their season in Valencia. They have made appendage updates, have a new sail designer and are generally fast. Following the sad loss of their longtime bowman during the winter, Matteo Auguadro, they will certainly miss his skills and his unique fighting spirit. Alegre have a strong, settled afterguard in Nic Asher, Will Ryan and Francesco Mongelli. Mariano 'Mamu' Caputo - ex Azzurra -joins as bowman and Spain's 470 world champion Silvia Mas is back for most of the season.

Alkedo powered by Vitamina, ITA, (Andrea Lacorte, ITA): Italy are back! Newcomers to the circuit with a well proven boat, the former 2019 season winning Azzurra/Interlodge. Lacorte is a top, experienced owner driver backed by a strong core crew who step up from ClubSwan 50. Cameron Appleton is tactician who led the Interlodge crew to third at last year's curtain raiser PalmaVela. Alkedo showed well in training, updated foil package, new rig since 2024.

Alpha +, HKG, (Shawn and Tina Kang, HKG): Debuted in Saint-Tropez in 2023 and proved increasingly competitive during 2024. Boat was Prada Luna Rossa TP52. Served notice of potential with a fourth at the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Newport. New helm this season in Kiwi match racer Nick Egnot-Johnson. Ambitious team working to keep getting better. Now on Quantum sails.

American Magic Quantum Racing USA (Doug DeVos, USA): The 2024 circuit champions as Quantum Racing welcome back hard driving many times champion Terry Hutchinson as tactician and owner-driver DeVos to the helm. Victor Diaz de Leon backs up as strategist, Sara Stone moves back in the boat to become navigator, a new role to her. Foils are updated. Trained in isolation in Palma. Finding their marks together in Saint-Tropez will be a challenge but title contenders for 2025, as ever.

Crioula Team, BRA, (Eduardo & Renato Plass, BRA): New to the circuit in mid 2024 with the former Provezza boat. Many years of TP52 experience on their native South American circuits they proved competitive from their first races and improving steadily.

Gladiator, GBR, (Tony Langley, GBR): Rolex TP52 World Champions in 2024, third overall for the season and winners of three of the five regattas in 2024. Updated foils too for this season. Led by Guille Parada, afterguard augmented in 2025 by Emirates Team New Zealand's Ray Davies. Podium potential for Saint-Tropez and the season!

Paprec, FRA (Jean Luc Petithuguenin, FRA): Showed marked improvements in 2024 with legendary French ocean racing star Loïck Peyron as tactician. Moving up the leaderboards with fifth in Valencia at the end of the season and aiming to carry on in Saint-Tropez where they left off. Same settled team.

Platoon Aviation GER, (Harm Müller-Spreer, GER): In great shape after a slow start to 2024 with their new boat. Appendage update in the winter, systems upgrades and good training sees the 2023 champions ready to rumble with their strong, experienced, settled team. 2025 podium contenders and should be in the medals in Saint-Tropez. Vasco Vascotto tactician, Jordi Calafat strategy Jules Salter navigator...

Provezza, TUR, (Egin Imre, TUR): Going hard for the 2025 title after launching their new boat late season last year. Their boat is fast and now well sorted. Trained well in Valencia. Winners in Saint-Tropez in 2023 and opened the 2024 season with a win on the Bay of Palma, could well complete the hat trick of season opening regattas! Another strong, regular crew led by helm John Cutler with Hamish Pepper tactician and Nacho Postigo navigator.

Sled, USA, (Takashi Okura, USA): Chose not to train until the immediate pre-regatta period in Saint-Tropez. The return of Italian Luna Rossa sailor Francesco Bruni means the 2021 title winning afterguard are back together. Also updated foils. Usually consistent and potent, capable of podium in Saint-Tropez, outsiders to win?

Team Vayu, THA, (Kevin and Tom Whitcraft): The Whitcraft family team look to repeat their outstanding success of 2024 when they won the XS Newport RI 52 SUPER SERIES Trophy. They races the boat in Thailand through the European winter. Manu Weiler who has guested in the afterguard in recent years joins on a more regular basis.

Teasing Machine, FRA, (Eric De Turckheim, FRA) and Phoenix, RSA, (Hasso & Tina Plattner, RSA) will join the circuit in Baiona at the second event of the season, the 52 SUPER SERIES BAIONA ROYAL CUP. June 2nd - June 7th in Spain.

Official practice race will take place on Tuesday 29th April with points racing running Wednesday 30th April until Sunday 4th May. Follow all the action LIVE! on the 52 SUPER SERIES social media channels.