Valencia 52 Super Series Royal Cup – Day 4
by 52 Super Series 27 Sep 09:44 PDT
23-28 September 2024
Following three races held in highly variable offshore winds off the famed Malvarrosa Beach in Valencia, three teams now compete for the circuit title on the final day, with only four points separating the leader from third place.
Gladiator entered the Valencia 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup with an 18-point advantage over Quantum Racing powered by American Magic and a 28-point lead over defending champions Platoon Aviation. As the last day of the season approaches, Doug De Vos’s US team currently leads by just two points over Langley and his 2024 world champion crew, and holds a four-point margin over Harm Müller-Spreer’s 2023 circuit champions.
Steered by Morgan Larson, with Victor Diaz de Leon as tactician and Nevin Snow as strategist, Quantum Racing powered by American Magic scored a total of 16 points across the three races, slightly outperformed by Platoon’s 15. However, the British boat is in 10th place after accumulating 30 points today, creating a highly competitive Saturday showdown that may include three races.
Guille Parada, helm of Gladiator, expressed dissatisfaction with their performance: “I think we sailed poorly and made some bad decisions, which reflected in our results. While we anticipated unstable breezes, complicating our situation, we must reset for tomorrow. It’s very close overall, and we truly have a shot at winning. Tomorrow offers a better northeasterly breeze that suits our sailing style. We will give it our best and aim for victory.”
“The wind today was influenced by the land, making it puffy, shifty, and unpredictable. We didn’t execute well in terms of tactics and strategy, nor were my starts sharp. Overall, we performed poorly. The results reflect our sailing approach, and we have no regrets—it’s simply what happened. Our only option now is to reset and strive to win the season.”
“Tomorrow should see winds of 10-13 knots from the northeast, which will be more stable and align better with our approach. We must present our best selves and ensure success.”
Offshore conditions were challenging.
Today’s races were once again contested under demanding offshore winds, starting at over 22 knots in the first race, won by Provezza. The second race featured significant wind shifts, with gusts and lulls, allowing Tak Okura’s Sled to triumph in 12-knot winds. The third race saw the Brazilian team on Crioula achieve their first-ever race victory after joining the circuit in Puerto Portals last month, placing them third in the Royal Cup standings behind Provezza and Platoon Aviation.
Wind readings were inconsistent. Crioula advanced from 12th or 13th on the first upwind to lead in the second race by the end of the run, finishing in second place. The wind quickly diminished in the final race, resulting in a shortened course after it nearly disappeared entirely.
A more stable northeasterly breeze is expected Saturday, which should provide more predictability, making it easier to maintain early leads and limit passing lane options. Platoon Aviation’s second place in the Royal Cup standings reflects tactician Vasco Vascotto’s preference for the dynamic, shifting conditions that challenge Gladiator’s strategy, which often relies on a strong start and tactical positioning.
Vasco Vascotto of Platoon Aviation smiled and remarked, “We feel fortunate to be in this position going into the final day, even if we’re currently behind. The advantage lies with the boats ahead, but being slightly behind can offer opportunities. The new breeze direction may level the playing field. I favor land breezes that allow for a bit of maneuvering, which I refer to as ‘tiki taka.’ We’re happy; if we weren’t, it would make for a challenging future! We started the season with setbacks, so we’ll see how things unfold. Our focus is already shifting to next season.”
On board Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, the highly experienced Larson provides stability as helm and may play a crucial role in the circuit’s outcome at a crucial moment.
Skipper Victor Diaz de Leon summarized, “Our aim was to be in contention for the season as we entered the last event, and here we are, still in the chase on the final day, which makes me very proud of the team. I feel we’ve achieved something important. It’s hard to believe this is the last day of the season—I have truly enjoyed my time with Quantum Racing; it has been exceptionally special.”
Double Olympian Sam Albrecht, tactician on Crioula, expressed excitement: “We got lucky, but today the winds were very shifty. Our team worked extremely hard, and achieving these results is meaningful—it’s a special day for us. We focused on keeping the boat fast. The key was leveraging the wind shifts and maintaining good angles throughout. Tomorrow is tomorrow; for now, we’re celebrating today.”
Racing is set to commence at 1200 hours on Saturday. Follow the competition live on all 52 SUPER SERIES channels.
Valencia 52 Super Series Royal Cup standings:
1. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 4+2+1+1+10+7 = 25 pts
2. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 8+1+2+4+7+4 = 26 pts
3. CRIOULA (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 6+8+10+2+2+1 = 29 pts
4. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso y Tina Plattner, 1+11+5+7+6+6 = 36 pts
5. TEASING MACHINE (FRA), Eric De Turckheim, 3+13+4+12+3+3 = 38 pts
6. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 9+3+7+3+13+5+5 = 40 pts
7. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 11+6+9+5+9+2 = 42 pts
8. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 7+9+3+8+8+8 = 43 pts
9. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 2+5+13+10+4+11+9 = 45 pts
10. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 12+4+6+9+12+9 = 52 pts
11. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 5+12+11+6+5+13 = 52 pts
12. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 13+7+8+13+1+12 = 54 pts
13. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 10+10+12+11+11+10 = 64 pts
2024 Circuit Standings:
1. Quantum Racing powered by American Magic 202 pts
2. Gladiator 204 pts
3. Platoon Aviation 206 pts
4. Sled 242 pts
5. Alegre 243 pts
6. Interlodge 262 pts
7. Paprec 265 pts
8. Vayu 281 pts
9. Phoenix 282 pts
10. Alpha + 282
11. Provezza 319 pts
12. Crioula 374 pts
13. Teasing Machine 402 pts
