The penultimate day of racing at the 52 SUPER SERIES Porto Cervo Range Rover regatta showcased a stark contrast to the previous days of strong Mistral winds, presenting the 13 teams from ten different nations with a fresh challenge as the conclusion of the 2025 season approaches.
In shifty, light winds starting at around 10 knots and dropping, only one windward-leeward contest could be completed before conditions became too unstable. The Whitcraft family’s Thai flagged team on Vayu seized the opportunity, scoring their first race win of the season, meaning that now 12 of the 13 crews have won at least one race.
Ergin Imre’s Provezza, despite a disappointing season thus far, looked ahead to 2026 after making changes to their crew. With Santi Lange brought on board as strategist alongside tactician Cole Parada, they led early in the day’s race but were overtaken by Vayu approaching the second windward turn. Provezza has since secured two second places in a row, positioning them just 2.5 points behind Andy Soriano’s Alegre, who stand third on the leaderboard.
Leading the regatta, Takashi Okura’s Sled finished sixth today, entering the final day with a six-point buffer for an event win. Tina and Hasso Plattner’s Phoenix crew lie second overall.
The race organisers aim to deliver three races on Saturday if conditions permit.
Nick Rogers, Vayu’s double Olympic silver medallist tactician, expressed satisfaction, stating, “It was good for us, important as a team to get a race win. The lighter conditions favour our boat. The key seemed to be a bit more pressure on the left of the upwind and then on the second beat we swapped sides and got left of Provezza and got the lead. This proves the boat is good and it is a real boost for the team.”
Provezza’s Argentinian tactician Cole Parada noted, “We did not have much time to train before here, and so the Mistral days we have taken quite quietly. Having Santi as strategist is a privilege. We are more relaxed here, and this is a reset, taking the opportunity to jump ahead and prepare for next season.”
After a tenth and ninth place in Thursday’s breezy conditions, Doug DeVos’s American Magic Quantum Racing remained competitive, finishing fourth today. With Sled placing sixth, American Magic carries a 21-point lead into the final races, poised to secure their seventh 52 SUPER SERIES title, following victories in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024.
Jean Luc Petithuguenin’s French team on Paprec holds third overall with a 7.5-point margin over Andrea Lacorte’s Italian Alkedo, while Germany’s 2023 circuit champions Platoon Aviation need to overcome a nine-point deficit to claim third.
The day concluded with an emotional presentation of the Challenge Trophy, created by the YCCS in memory of Matteo “Mate” Auguadro, bowman on Alegre, who tragically passed away last January. Greg Gendell, bowman on American Magic, received the trophy from Rachele Vitello, Matteo’s wife.
52 SUPER SERIES – Porto Cervo – Range Rover Leaderboard after seven races:
1. Sled, USA, Takashi Okura, 4+2+1+11+2+1+6 = 27
2. Phoenix, RSA, Tina & Hasso Plattner, 3+4+8+5+1+4+8 = 33
3. Alegre, GBR, Andy Soriano, 6+3+3+6+3+7+10 = 38
4. Paprec, FRA, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 2+9+4+1+9+5+9 = 39
5. Provezza, TUR, Ergin Imre, 11+5+6+7+6+2+2 = 39
6. Platoon Aviation, GER, Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+6,5(RDG)+11+8+8+3+3 = 40.5
7. American Magic Quantum Racing, USA, Doug DeVos, 10+8+2+4+10+9+4 = 47
8. Alkedo Vitamina, ITA, Andrea Lacorte, 9+7+7+2+5+12+7 = 49
9. Vayu, THA, Whitcraft Family, 8+10+10+9+7+10+1 = 55
10. Alpha+, HKG, Shawn & Tina Kang, 13+1+9+12+11+8+5 = 59
11. Crioula, BRA, Eduardo & Renato Plass, 5+11+13+3+4+13+11 = 60
12. Gladiator, GBR, Tony Langley, 7+6(+3)+5+10+13+6+13 = 63
13. Teasing Machine, FRA, Eric de Turckheim, 12+12+12+13+12+11+12 = 84
52 SUPER SERIES 2025 Leaderboard after seven races in Porto Cervo:
1. American Magic Quantum Racing, USA, Doug DeVos, 18+33+42+38+47 = 178
2. Sled, USA, Takashi Okura, 13+58+51+50+27 = 199
3. Paprec, FRA, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 23.5+63+43+70+39 = 238.5
4. Alkedo Vitamina, ITA, Andrea Lacorte, 28+49+61+59+49 = 246
5. Platoon Aviation, GER, Harm Müller-Spreer, 36+44+63+64+40.5 = 247.5
6. Alegre, GBR, Andy Soriano, 30+71+62+66+38 = 267
7. Alpha+, HKG, Shawn & Tina Kang, 21.5+68+71+54+59 = 273.5
8. Vayu, THA, Whitcraft Family, 27+68+65+61+55 = 276
9. Provezza, TUR, Ergin Imre, 30+64+81+70+39 = 284
10. Gladiator, GBR, Tony Langley, 12+120+63+79+63 = 337
11. Phoenix, RSA, Tina & Hasso Plattner, 48+69+60+130+33 = 340
12. Crioula, BRA, Eduardo & Renato Plass, 28+120+120+71+60 = 399
13. Teasing Machine, FRA, Eric de Turckheim, 48+73+120+104+84 = 429
52 SUPER SERIES – Pure Performance
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