Quantum Racing has new look for 2023

2022 TP52 World Champion and 52 SUPER SERIES winner Quantum Racing (USA), which announced in November 2022 the partnership with America’s Cup challenger American Magic (USA), have revealed several key crew positions in advance of the 2023 52 SUPER SERIES which gets underway May 2-7 in Saint Tropez, France.

The TP52 team reflects a changed focus, now incorporating American talent to enhance their skills and experience on the world’s leading grand prix monohull circuit.

As tactician Terry Hutchinson and strategist Lucas Calabrese are now fully focused on winning the 37th America’s Cup with American Magic, the newly formed crew has commenced training early April in Valencia, Spain.

Among the additions are 2021 Rolex US Yachtsman of the Year Harry Melges IV on helm, navigator-strategist Victor Diaz de Leon, Sara Stone on the mid bow, and grinder is Scott Ewing. Providing experience as tactician will be America’s Cup and The Ocean Race winner John Kostecki who guided Platoon to two TP52 World Championships.

“The difficult thing with a bigger group coming in is just getting them used to the equipment,” noted Team Director Ed Reynolds. “I don’t think any one of them except Sara had previous experience on a TP52 before and so it is about learning the boat; when you can slow them down and when you can speed them up.

“All those little things that you can do, fitting in a Melges 24 into places where you can’t ever fit a TP52. That and probably the biggest thing is, and it happens all the time, is Victor Diaz de Leon and John Kostecki getting the communication each of them wants. That will be a work in progress.

“Last year we had probably the best year any TP52 has ever had so I don’t want to put pressure on anyone and say I think we will be doing that again. I am not making excuses but I think the first couple of events we are going to kind of be feeling our way but once we come through the first couple of events we should be good.

“The biggest thing I would say, if I have one concern, and it is a concern because I just don’t know, is how quickly we get the communication and the experience on the starting line. That is where you see new drivers, new teams struggle the most on the 52 SUPER SERIES.”

With 11 teams expected to compete in 2023, Reynolds believes they have a solid, dependable, and hugely experienced tactician in the American Kostecki who will be out to prove his capacity to win after being replaced on the Platoon team late last season.

“Watching him over the years I think in terms of course management I have never seen anyone better than John Kostecki. I watched Platoon and they did not have terribly good starts and I would watch John turn eighths or ninths into third or fourths. And that is really important on the 52 SUPER SERIES.

“He has been on the circuit forever. He and Victor are not very alike at all, and so their communication and their tempo and other things will need work, but looking at risk management and getting a boat out of a bad situation I have watched John for 15 years at least and he is as good as there has ever been.”

Series details – Teams – Facebook

52 SUPER SERIES 2023 Schedule
May 2-7 – 52 SUPER SERIES Saint Tropez Sailing Week – Saint Tropez, France
May 29-June 3 – 52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino Sailing Week – Scarlino, Italy
July 4-9 – Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup & tbc TP52 Invitational – Menorca, Spain
August 21-26 – Rolex TP52 World Championship Barcelona – Barcelona, Spain
September 18-23 – Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week – Puerto Portals, Spain

Source: 52 Super Series