Quantum Racing in front at 52 World Championship

Mahón, Menorca (September 14, 2016) – Quantum Racing holds the early lead as the 52 World Championship got underway today, with sunshine and a building breeze of 18-22kts concluding the two race schedule.

Tony Langley’s Gladiator led the first race which started in 11-13kts of SW’ly breeze, and a difficult, leftover, sloppy sea. The confused, steep waves and chop were out of proportion to the modest early breeze and made it especially hard for helms and trimmers to work to their best.

Gladiator did not manage to gybe early enough at the top mark, being held to the right of the downwind by the French. With a big shift to the right Azzurra profited from their early gybe set at the top mark and took the lead. Quantum Racing, which stumbled early with a poor start, took places on each leg and were attacking hard at Azzurra by the finish. Paprec took third and Gladiator fourth.

But Azzurra could not maintain the standard as the breeze built for the second race as a winch pedestal problem and a torn kite pulled them down to 10th. Fairing better was Ergin Imré’s Provezza and Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing which were well placed to the right of the first upwind with the Turkish boat just leading Rán at the first turn.

The wheels would fall off for Provezza when they shredded a kite near the leeward mark in the lead. As for Rán, they stayed right (looking downwind) on the final run, leaving Quantum Racing to the left, closer to the shore and the geographical header which allowed them to get passed the black hulled Rán just on the finish line.

Paprec, which had just finished third in the first race, had to retire after breaking their backstay.

Quantum Racing’s skipper Baird confessed: “I did not do a good job of getting us off the starting line. But the team really rallied up and made some good manoeuvres and some good tactical calls to get us around. Terry [Hutchinson] picked us some really strong positions around the track and got us back in the game. There are a lot of good teams and you just don’t get a good start every race. And today was my day for that.”

rStandings after Day 1, Two Races
1 Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) (2,1) 3pts
2 Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) (5,3) 8pts
3 Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) (4,4) 8pts
4 Azzurra, ITA (Pablo/Alberto Roemmers ARG) (1,10) 11pts
5 Rán Racing, SWE (Niklas Zennström SWE) (9,2) 11pts
6 Alegre, GBR (Andy Soriano USA) (7,5) 12pts
7 Provezza, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,7) 13pts
8 Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithuguenin FRA) (3,DNF13) 16pts
9 Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) (8,8) 16pts
10 Sorcha GBR (Peter Harrison GBR) (12,6) 18pts
11 Phoenix, USA (Richard Cohen USA) (10,9) 19pts
12 Sled, USA (Takashi Okura USA) (11,11) 22pts

The 52 World Championship is planned for September 14 to 18 with racing to start at 12:30 CEST every day and live coverage on the final three days. You can catch all the action at www.52SUPERSERIES.com or via the app.

52 Super Series – Event details – How to Follow – Facebook

Ian Walker (GBR) tactician Gladiator (GBR):
“The first race we should really have done better than that. We lead around the top mark and did not have a good enough spinnaker set and then could not gybe because of Paprec. So that was disappointing but we did well to hang on to fourth. Second race we did well in the end because we had an absolutely shocking start. We picked boats off. We were in phase the whole race. One or two boats did not tack on us which was a first, making a world of difference.

“And the boat goes better when there is some wind. I think the wheels – it becomes an advantage, or less of a disadvantage when the wind is up, the Vrolijk hull shape I think is better uprange than downrange. And I think we sail it better in the breeze, maybe we have more learn to in the light. There are a number of reasons but at least we can compete when there is more breeze.

“I am absolutely loving Menorca. I think everyone is friendly. The pace of life is a little slower. It is beautiful. The sailing is good. And gimme anywhere we don’t have to just smash a corner!”

Ed Baird (USA) skipper-helm Quantum Racing (USA):
“I did not do a good job of getting us off the starting line. But the team really rallied up and made some good manoeuvres and some good tactical calls to get us around. Terry [Hutchinson] picked us some really strong positions around the track and got us back in the game. There are a lot of good teams and you just don’t get a good start every race. And today was my day for that.”

Tony Rey (USA) tactician Provezza (TUR):
“We broke the kite in the second race in the worst possible place, approaching the leeward gate. It was a windy, wavy day and we quickly went from hero to zero. The good news is that we saved a few points. We were second to last at the leeward gate but got up to seventh and that is good in this fleet.”

Paul Cayard (USA) skipper-helm Phoenix (USA):
“We had a good day. I love how close the competition is. We made a big mistake at the leeward mark in the second race which was a shame because it was going well up until then. But we learn from it and we will be better tomorrow. We have a great team with sailors from big programmes – America’s Cup and so on.

“Most of us have some experience in this class but not for some years. And so we are just coming into the group which has been sailing against each other for a while, at least all this season. It is matter of inches, metres, seconds. We dealt with the pile up and the weather mark quite well, for example. There is a lot of opportunity out there but Quantum Racing just show us how to do it. They sail smooth and clean and stay out of trouble and just chip away.”

2016 52 SUPER SERIES Calendar
52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino Cup
Scarlino, YCS, May 25 – 29.

Settimana delle Bocche
Porto Cervo, YCCS, June 28 – July 2

52 SUPER SERIES Portals Sailing Week
Puerto Portals, CRPP, July 25 – 29

TP52 World Championship
Mahon, CMM, September 14 – 18

52 SUPER SERIES Cascais Cup
Cascais , CNC, October 11 – 15.

Source: 52 Super Series