Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week: Thrilling Yacht Racing Experience
Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week – Day 4
28 August – 1 September 2024
After an exciting Saturday of racing on the Bay of Palma, Harm Müller-Spreer’s Platoon Aviation, the 2023 circuit champions, heads into the decisive final two races of the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week with a three-point lead over current world champions Gladiator and Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, who are tied on points.
This marks the first time this season that the German-flagged Platoon Aviation has led going into the final day, showcasing improvements in their performance with a new 2024 boat. However, the team returned to Puerto Portals Marina with a mix of satisfaction and disappointment, as they endured two successive penalties that resulted in costly ninth-place finishes.
With 13 closely-matched boats competing, consistency was elusive on the race track. Platoon Aviation’s results were 9, 9, and 6 for the day, while Gladiator secured 2, 6, and 10. The standout performance, however, came from Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, who managed to stay clear of trouble with scores of 3, 3, and 5, positioning Doug DeVos’ crew for a strong potential finish in their quest for their first regatta title.
Harry Melges IV, helm of Quantum Racing powered by American Magic, reflected on their strategy for the final day, stating, “We are feeling really good after today. We need to try not to push for something special and focus on executing a couple of good races. At the end of the day, we must perform to come out on top.”
Víctor Mariño from Platoon Aviation acknowledged a challenging day on the water, mentioning, “Today we did not replicate the harmony and concentration of previous days. It has been a complicated day filled with mistakes, nerves, and poor decisions. In this competitive fleet, mistakes are very costly. Tomorrow we need to focus on our own race while remembering these points also count for the circuit.”
Despite their strong finish earlier in the day, Gladiator faced a dramatic finish line scenario that saw them lose three positions within the last 100 meters. Helm Guille Parada shared, “It was a tricky day. We executed a good first race but struggled with the start in the second. The third race saw us face gear failure downwind, which cost us three positions. We’ll reset and come back strong tomorrow.”
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin’s Paprec enjoyed their first victory of the season by starting strong, while Takashi Okura’s Sled recorded the largest winning margin of the week in the following race. The third race was claimed by Shawn and Tina Kang’s Alpha Plus.
With only three points separating Platoon Aviation from Gladiator and Quantum Racing, the competition is fierce. Between fourth-place Paprec and tenth-place Interlodge, there is merely a six-point gap, making for an exhilarating finale as the event draws to a close.
The final day promises to deliver thrilling racing as the teams gear up for a dramatic conclusion to the week. The first warning signal is set for 12:30 local time, with live coverage commencing 15 minutes beforehand.
Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week Standings after Day 4:
1. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+2+4+1+3+9+9+6 = 35pts
2. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 3+1+10+5+1+2+6+10 = 38pts
3. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 4+6+3+12+2+3+3+5 = 38pts
4. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 6+8+2+4+8+1+12+11 = 52pts
5. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 11+7+1+6+9+6+5+7 = 52pts
6. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 12+4+7+13+7+5+8+1 = 57pts
7. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 5+9+8+11+10+10+1+4 = 58pts
8. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 7+13+12+2+6+13+2+3 = 58pts
9. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 10+10+5+8+12+4+7+2 = 58pts
10. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 8+3+9+3+4+7+11+13 = 58pts
11. CRIOULA (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 2+12+13+7+13+8+4+8 = 67pts
12. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 9+5+11+9+5+12+10+9 = 70pts
13. TEASING MACHINE (FRA), Eric De Turckheim, 13+11+6+10+11+11+13+12 = 87pts
Emily Carter, a seasoned sailor and marine journalist from Vancouver, has a deep-seated passion for the ocean that has shaped her career. With a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of British Columbia, Emily has become known for her captivating and detailed storytelling. Her work vividly portrays the excitement of sailing and the distinct maritime culture of Canada, earning her a respected place in the sailing community. When not writing, Emily enjoys navigating the rugged coastlines of British Columbia and participating in local regattas, always eager to embark on her next maritime adventure.