The second event of the 52 Super Series is currently taking place in Menorca. South Africa’s Phoenix Sailing Team is currently lying tied-second with Platoon behind Alegre, which has won each race to date.
Knock on effects of travel restrictions meant that 52 SUPER SERIES leaders and winners of the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week, Takasghi Okura’s Sled team had a number of crew line-up changes to contend with when they sought to win their second regatta in a row at next week’s Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week.
The five day event has drawn a fleet of 11 TP52s and welcomed Thailand’s Whitcraft family team on Vāyu, and also welcomes the return of Jean Luc Petithugeunin’s French crew on Paprec Recyclage, which missed the Puerto Portals event last month.
Sled is again, unfortunately, be without their passionate owner driver Mr Okura and this time all of their Japan based sailors as well as super consistent Australian tactician Adam Beashel. Italian America’s Cup sailor Francesco Bruni will step in as tactician for the week.
On the final day in Puerto Portals before racing was cancelled due to a lack of breeze, Quantum Racing were poised in second place on the leader-board. Doug DeVos’ team – settling in a new afterguard – had one less than stellar day which they were coming back strong from. They are not the finished article yet but will be among the favourites next week when the circuit returns to Mahon for the fourth time, a venue where Quantum Racing won in 2016 and have always finished on the podium.
The Plattner family’s South African flagged Phoenix 11, which finished third in Puerto Portals last month, sees the return of Ed Baird as tactician to the team which he knows well. Tony Norris is on the helm, sailing with fellow South Africans Paul Willcox, Shaun Pammenter, Matt Whitehead and Shane Elliot.
Baird is looking forward to being back in the heat of battle on the 52 SUPER SERIES, “I am just looking to maintain the momentum. The boat seems to be going well other than a couple of penalties in Portals, speedwise it is a happy boat. So hopefully I don’t mess up and I am just looking forwards to being back on the water with this great group.”
Who will top the leaderboard in Menorca?
Three different teams have won over the years in Menorca, Quantum Racing, Azzurra and in 2019 Platoon. Last month Harm Müller Spreer’s team showed flashes of their double world champions pedigree but were among the crews which landed too many penalties to realistically have harboured a hope of finishing on the podium.
Watch the highlights of day one and two below.
Read more on Memorable Menorca.
