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Tony Langley’s British-flagged Gladiator team achieved a remarkable feat by winning the Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week, adding this title to their recent Rolex TP52 World Championship victory secured in Newport, RI, just six weeks prior. They managed to overcome a three-point deficit in the only race of the day, solidifying their dominance in the series.

With the confidence gained from their world championship success and a well-optimized vessel, Gladiator outperformed Harm Müller-Spreer’s Platoon Aviation crew. Despite finishing on equal points after nine races, Gladiator’s second-place finish in the final race was pivotal, allowing them to claim the title by the tie-break rule. Gladiator now leads the 2024 circuit standings by a substantial eight points ahead of Quantum Racing powered by American Magic.

In the final race, Gladiator’s Guillermo Parada helmed the boat expertly, allowing them to execute their planned strategy. After waiting for a steady 8-9 knots of southwesterly breeze, Gladiator began at the committee boat end of the line and quickly moved to the right side of the upwind course. Even as Eric de Turckheim’s Teasing Machine led initially, Gladiator managed to position themselves advantageously, ultimately breaking free from the competition.

The championship race proved challenging for Platoon Aviation, who, after leading the standings going into the final day, fell victim to tactical errors and traffic during the downwind leg. Nevertheless, their strategist Jordi Calafat recognized this experience as a step forward for their team, pointing out that there is still room for improvement as they continue to familiarize themselves with the boat.

Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, hopeful for their first regatta win, faced difficulties as they rounded the windward mark in last place and finished third overall after rallying to seventh in the final race.

Guillermo Parada expressed his joy at securing back-to-back wins at the 52 Super Series, stating that it was a unique and special experience. He noted the increasing complexity of racing conditions in Palma and credited the team for maintaining their composure and properly interpreting race conditions, which ultimately led to their success.

As for Platoon Aviation, Calafat lamented the missed opportunity but acknowledged the progress made in their racing performance. Meanwhile, Quantum Racing’s skipper, Victor Diaz de Leon, expressed disappointment over their performance but was pleased with the team’s resilience to recover from a difficult start.

Looking ahead, the final regatta of the season will take place in Valencia, starting on September 23.

Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week Final Standings:

  1. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 3+1+10+5+1+2+6+10+2 = 40pts
  2. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+2+4+1+3+9+9+6+5 = 40pts
  3. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 4+6+3+12+2+3+3+5+7 = 45pts
  4. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 11+7+1+6+9+6+5+7+6 = 58pts
  5. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 6+8+2+4+8+1+12+11+11 = 63pts
  6. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 8+3+9+3+4+7+11+13+4+3(PEN) = 65pts
  7. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 10+10+5+8+12+4+7+2+8 = 66pts
  8. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 5+9+8+11+10+10+1+4+9 = 67pts
  9. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 12+4+7+13+7+5+8+1+12 = 69pts
  10. CRIOULA (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 2+12+13+7+13+8+4+8+3 = 70pts
  11. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 7+13+12+2+6+13+2+3+13 = 71pts
  12. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 9+5+11+9+5+12+10+9+10 = 80pts
  13. TEASING MACHINE (FRA), Eric De Turckheim, 13+11+6+10+11+11+13+12+1+1(PEN) = 89pts

52 SUPER Series 2024 Standings:

  1. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 37+35+40+40 = 152pts
  2. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 27+36+52+45 = 160pts
  3. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 45+47+48+40 = 180pts
  4. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 33+42+46+67 = 188pts
  5. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 37+44+51+66 = 198pts
  6. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 32+49+73+65 = 219pts
  7. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 49+51+62+63 = 225pts
  8. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 51+58+50+69 = 228pts
  9. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 51+33+65+80 = 229pts
  10. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 77+46+65+58 = 246pts
  11. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 25+88+110+71 = 294pts
  12. CRIOULA (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 77+88+110+70 = 345pts
  13. TEASING MACHINE (FRA), Eric De Turckheim, 77+88+110+89 = 364pts
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