Escrito por: Maribel Martínez
Palma Bay put on its best show on the third day of competition, allowing for three races that shook up the standings. American Magic Quantum Racing claimed the lead with a magnificent victory in the third race of the day, and Alpha+ moved into second place overall by posting the best score of the day.
After two days of a reduced program due to the vagaries of the weather, Palma Bay was filled with wind, reaffirming its reputation as one of the best racecourses in the Mediterranean. The fleet took to the water with an optimistic menu of three races starting at 1:00 PM, and although they had to wait until after 2:00 PM for the first start, they returned to Puerto Portals six hours later with three new race times on the scoreboards of the 12 teams.
Well done, Alkedo!
The first race of the day began with a good 12 knots of wind. The fleet split 50/50 between the two ends of the course, and it would be interesting to see which of the two options proved successful. The first rounding of the buoy confirmed that the left-hand group, led by Alkedo, Alpha+, and Paprec, had the better start. The boat owned by Italian Andrea Lacorte, with Vigo native Pablo Torrado on board, defended its position throughout the race, threatened in the final meters by American Magic Quantum Racing, which steadily improved. Paprec finished third.
Drama in the second race
In the second race, Gladiator’s victory was undeniable. The team, helmed by owner Tony Langley and with Guillermo Parada’s tactics, made a clear decision: they chose to sacrifice distance and speed to start on the far right of the line. From that moment on, Vayu sailed unchallenged, leading the entire course with authority to secure a solid victory, their first since Saint-Tropez in May. The battle for second place was decided in a thrilling final stretch, with Vayu edging out Alpha+ by two seconds. The fight for seventh place was even closer, with four boats crossing the finish line within a single second.
The race was dramatic for Platoon Aviation. The team, skippered by German Harm Müller-Spreer, collided with the stern of Alegre in a tight turn before the first mark, snapping the bowsprit of their TP52. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the incident resulted in their withdrawal from the race and a three-point penalty. In a display of professionalism, the technical team, led by Gabriel de Llano, replaced the bowsprit on the water, leaving Platoon Aviation ready for the next start.
A Profitable Downwind Leg
In the third start, the fleet crowded the right side of the line, trying to emulate Gladiator’s success in the previous race. This time, Provezza was fastest in the initial leg, although the Turkish team relinquished the lead at the start of the downwind leg, the section that would determine the outcome of the race. American Magic Quantum Racing, which had rounded the eighth buoy 57 seconds behind the leader, broke away from the bulk of the fleet by sailing to the right side of the course, and crossed the halfway point with more than half a minute’s advantage. From that moment on, they simply sailed alone towards victory. “Terry (Hutchinson, tactician) saw it clearly,” explained Víctor Díaz de León, strategist for the American team, back on shore. “The conditions were very difficult to decipher, with many gusts, many gaps without wind, and Terry had the insight that there was more wind if we sailed straight ahead. And he was right.” Hong Kong’s Alpha+ finished second, followed by Brazil’s Crioula.
A shake-up in the standings
The full day of racing caused a major shift in the provisional standings at Puerto Portals. American Magic Quantum Racing, which started third, is the new leader, albeit by the narrowest of margins over Alpha+, which was the best boat of the day after scoring a fourth, a third, and a second. Alegre, which led the standings for the first two days, is now third, nine points behind the new leader.
Juan Antonio Amengual, the mayor of Calvià, sailed as a guest aboard American Magic Quantum Racing.
The Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week continues tomorrow, Friday, with three races scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.
The competition will be broadcast live on 52 SUPER SERIES TV LIVE.
Provisional Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week
1. American Magic Quantum Racing, USA, Doug DeVos, 5+3+2+8+1 = 19
2. Alpha+, HKG, Shawn and Tina Kang, 3+8+4+3+2 = 20
3. Alegre, GBR, Andy Soriano, 1+2+6+9+10 = 28
4. Sled, USA, Takashi Okura, 7+1+10+4+6 = 28
5. Provezza, TUR, Ergin Imre, 4+7+5+7+5 = 28
6. Vayu, THA, Whitcraft family, 2+11+8+2+8 = 31
7. Alkedo, ITA, Andrea Lacorte, 6+10+1+5+11 = 33
8. Creole, BRA, Eduardo and Renato Plass, 8+4+7+11+3 = 33
9. Gladiator, GBR, Tony Langley, 9+9+11+1+4(+1) = 35
10. Paprec, FRA, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 12+5+3+6+9 = 35
11. Platoon Aviation, GER, Harm Müller-Spreer, 10+6+9+13(+3)+7 = 48
12. Teasing Machine, FRA, Eric de Turckheim, 11+13+12+10+12 = 58
