Quantum Racing leads 52 SUPER SERIES

Doug DeVos’ Quantum Racing won the Royal Cup 52 SUPER SERIES Scarlino title, held September 27-October 1 in Tuscany, Italy. This was the team’s third regatta triumph of the five event 2022 52 SUPER SERIES season. They overturned a one point deficit to triumph by five clear points on the final day ahead of Takashi Okura’s Sled and now carry a five points lead forwards to the 2022 season big finale in Barcelona in three weeks time.

After four days of southerly winds, the last day showdown on Scarlino’s Golfo de Scarlino was contested in a NW’ly Mistral direction, presenting a new challenge to the afterguards. Quantum Racing stayed consistent with a second and fourth whilst title rivals Sled had their worst day of the week.

After finishing fifth in the first race of the day, Sled did seem to have resuscitated their title challenge as they lead Quantum Racing on the approach to the windward mark in the second race. But they were then judged to foul Quantum during their tack. Their resulting penalty turns was then exacerbated as they gybed into lighter air and the 2021 champions ended up ninth down the first run.

The Italian victory for Quantum Racing comes after a disappointing fourth placed at the last event in Puerto Portals, Mallorca when charismatic owner-helm DeVos was absent and Hutchinson steered.

“I think everyone on this team feels like it was a really, really hard week,” shared Hutchinson. “The Sled team sailed really well, the Platoon team sailed really well, and Phoenix sailed well; everyone had some great days and so the whole fleet has come along so much. It is harder than ever. This feels a well-earned win for us for sure.”

While Sled take second place on the Royal Cup podium, Harm Müller Spreer’s Platoon – with new Italian tactician Vasco Vascotto – stole third place today but only by virtue of a tie break with Hasso and Tina Plattner’s Phoenix crew. With their new afterguard line up, Platoon started modestly and were eighth overall in the nine boat fleet after the second day of racing. But they finished the even twith a first and second to underline their red hot potential for the future. Platoon sailed 1,2,7,1,2 in the second half of the regatta.

“We have seen a huge improvement since the first days of the week, in communication and a level of happiness on the boat,” explained Vascotto. “At the beginning of the week I was so rusty and the reality is I had to wake up to be good enough. The reality is I had great comms with Jordi Calafat who was one of my heroes when I was 12 years. That was important and we enjoyed sailing together and I think our results can get better and better. Harm is so good driving the boat and with better communications everyone calmed down and we did better.”

Final Results
1. QUANTUM RACING (USA), Doug DeVos, 2+2+4+5+3+5+6+1+2+4 = 34 pts.
2. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 5+1+3+4+1+3+4+6+5+7 = 39 pts.
3. PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 4+7+8+7+2+1+2+7+1+2 = 41 pts.
4. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 3+4+7+1+6+2+5+3+7+3 = 41 pts.
5. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 8+5+2+6+7+9+1+4+3+1 = 46 pts.
6. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 7+3+1+3+5+8+3+5+6+5 = 46 pts.
7. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 1+9+5+9+4+6+8+2+4+6 = 54 pts
8. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 6+8+9+8+9+4+9+4,5(RDS)+9+8 = 74,5 pts.
9. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 9+6+6+2+8+7+7+10(DNF)+3(PEN)+8+9 = 75 pts.

Race details – Teams – Facebook

52 SUPER SERIES 2022 Series (after four of five regattas)
1. QUANTUM RACING (USA), Doug DeVos, 19+33+44+34 = 130 pts.
2. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 27+42+25+41 = 135 pts.
3. PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 26+40+51+41= 158 pts.
4. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 43,5+44+36+39 = 162,5 pts.
5. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 43+41+52+46 = 182 pts.
6. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 61+54+42+46 = 203 pts.
7. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 45+54+79+54 = 232 pts.
8. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 39+71+50+75 = 235 pts.
9. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 60+73+71+77,5 = 278.5 pts.

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