Quantum wins 52 SUPER SERIES opener

American owner-driver Doug DeVos steered Quantum Racing to overall victory at the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Baiona Sailing Week, lifting the first regatta title of the five which comprise the tenth anniversary season of the world’s leading grand prix monohull circuit.

Four times overall champions since the circuit started in May 2012, Quantum Racing managed to impose themselves as the circuit visited the rugged Atlantic coast of Galicia on the north west corner of Spain in Baiona.

Held May 24-28, the picturesque Ría de Vigo served up a welcome variety of wind conditions, from seven to 24 knots over the eight races which were contested. The first four days were sailed in northerly winds with a demanding SW’ly sea breeze on the final day.

“It is awesome to win,” noted tactician Terry Hutchinson, “but the exciting part is that we have so much room to get better. There is a lot of racing ahead of us now this season and this fleet is really, really good.”

Harm Müller Spreer’s Platoon remain their super consistent selves but count two fifth places in their scoreline and did not manage to make the top two often enough to really challenge Quantum Racing. They finished just one point ahead of Tom Slingsby and a very strong Phoenix team who were harmed by one bad 14pts day.

Victor Marino, Platoon’s runners controller who is from Baiona, commented: “Second is a good result even if it does not always feel like that because we always want to win. But Quantum really sailed super strong.

“To be in the top three in this fleet and if we could be in the top three at every event this season we would surely be in with a shot at the title. The conditions have been perfect, the race area was super open, options for everyone. I think it is a place we will come back to.”

And Slingsby was sanguine at their third but is looking forwards to next month’s Rolex TP52 World Championships in Cascais: “Unfortunately we made a few too many mistakes on one day and that compromised us in the end. We lost a lot of points on that day but overall I am happy with the way we sailed on four of the five days.

“But we showed we are in the hunt. This is a beautiful venue but the race course is tough. You have to keep your wits about you. Sometimes the corners worked, sometimes the middle worked. It was a very challenging race course. But hopefully we will be back here soon.”

Final Results
1. Quantum Racing (USA) Doug DeVos 4,5,1,2,3,1,1,2; 19
2. Platoon (GER) Harm Müller Spreer 5,1,2,4,4,2,3,5; 26
3. Phoenix (RSA) Hasso & Tina Plattner 1,3,3,1,8,6,2,3; 27
4. Interlodge (USA) Austin & Gwen Fragomen 6,4,4,6,2,9,4,4; 39
5. Alegre (GBR) Andy Soriano 9,7,6,3,9,3,5,1; 43
6. Sled (USA) Takashi Okura 3,6,5,7,7,4,4.5,7; 43,5
7. Vayu (THAI) Whitcraft family 2,2,8,5,5,7,7,9; 45
8. Gladiator (GBR) Tony Langley 7,8,7,8,1,8,dsq10(3),8; 60
9. Provezza (TUR) Ergin Imre 8,10,10.10,6,5,6,6; 61

Series information – Race details – Facebook – YouTube

52 SUPER SERIES 2022 Schedule
May 23-28 – BAIONA 52 SUPER SERIES SAILING WEEK – Baiona, Spain
June 20-25 – ROLEX TP52 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP CASCAIS – Cascais, Portugal
July 21-26 – PUERTO PORTALS 52 SUPER SERIES SAILING WEEK – Puerto Portals, Mallorca
September 26-October 1 – SCARLINO 52 SUPER SERIES SAILING WEEK – Scarlino, Italy
October 24-29 – BARCELONA 52 SUPER SERIES SAILING WEEK – Barcelona, Spain

Source: 52 Super Series