Rolex TP52 World Championship in Newport, RI

Rolex TP52 World Championship in Newport, RI – General

by 52 Super Series Jul 21 04:42 UTC
July 15-20, 2024

Tony Langley’s Gladiator became the first British team to win the Rolex TP52 World Championship title, emerging victorious after a gruelling three-race finale near Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday, six points clear of 2021 world champions Sled and eight ahead of 2023 champions Platoon Aviation.

Under the leadership of Guillermo Parada, assisted by navigator Bruno Zirilli and the owner’s tactics supported by Chris Hosking, the Gladiator team laid the foundations for their first outright regatta success and their first world title, along with three consecutive race victories at the start of the ten-race championship.

They added to these victories with two second places and a couple of fourth and fifth places. They went into today’s final race with a seven-point lead over Sled, who represent the host club, the New York Yacht Club. Chasing their rivals across the finish line after a long, hard week on a challenging course was enough to give Gladiator the title.

When Argentine two-time World Champion and four-time 52 SUPER SERIES title winner Parada joined the Gladiator programme for its final season, Langley handed the helm to ‘Guille’, as Langley sought to learn from one of the most successful, modestly-minded professional sailors on the 52 SUPER SERIES. It proved an instant potent combination as they finished third in St Tropez, third in Menorca and then third in last year’s Rolex TP52 World Championship in Barcelona.

This year they took over the former Alegre and recently finished a close second behind Thailand’s Team Vayu on the same waters in Newport RI last month, showing once again that they are potential winners of the regatta.

This week they achieved their ultimate accolade so far thanks to their excellent boat speed in light to moderate winds, their careful risk management – prepared to go hard to one side of the course or the other thanks to their great start, and all supported by good teamwork.

“We’ve come a long way in a season and a half and before that it was a long, long way and that makes it all the sweeter. And especially our first ever regatta win at a world championship and becoming world champions and doing it here in Newport, somewhere I love. We started with this new team in St Tropez and since then we’ve had eight regattas and developed our processes together, we’ve had a few setbacks but we pull ourselves together and here we are,” grinned delighted owner Tony Langley.

“It’s so nice to get the first win for the team at the Rolex TP52 World Championship at the right time, so I’m honestly very happy because it was a long and stressful week. We held our nerves and we were able to hold on for our last race. I think everyone will agree that we deserved to win. It’s such a demanding race course, it’s never clear which way to go. We worked hard to get good starts and good boat speed and I think we were a little bit better than the competition,” said Parada who won TP52 world titles with Matador in 2009 and Azzurra in Puerto Portal in 2015.

Takashi Okura’s Sled took second place, Mr. Okura finished as best owner-driver, “It was a great World Championship, probably one of the best TP52 World Championships I have ever sailed. I am really so proud of what the Sled team achieved as second and world champion owner-driver. Congratulations to Gladiator, who sailed a great regatta and is a deserved world champion.” Said tactician Ado Stead.

Overall results TP52 World Championship 2024:

1. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 9+1+1+1+5+2+5+4+2+10 = 40 points
2. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 2+2+9+6+3+1+2+7+5+9 = 46 points
3. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 7+3+4+9+1+4+4+6+8+2 = 48pts
4. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 5+5+5+7+6+9+7+1+4+1 = 50 points
5. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 3+4+6+3+2+10+9+3+6+5 = 51 points
6. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 6+10+3+2+8+7+3+9+1+3 = 52 points
7. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 4+8+8+5+9+5+8+8+3+4 = 62 points
8. VAYU (THA), Family Whitcraft, 1+7+2+8+10+8+10+2+9+8 = 65 points
9. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso and Tina Plattner, 10+6+7+4+7+3+1+10+10+7 = 65 points
10. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin and Gwen Fragomen, 8+9+11(DNS)+11(DNS)+4+6+6+5+7+6 = 73 points

52 SUPER SERIES 2024 Standings: (after three events)

1. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 37+35+40 = 112 points
2. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 27+36+52 = 115 points
3. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 33+42+46 = 121 points
4. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 37+44+51 = 132 points
5. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 45+47+48 = 140pts
6. VAYU (THA), Family Whitcraft, 51+33+65 = 149 points
7. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin and Gwen Fragomen, 32+49+73 = 154 points
8. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 51+58+50 = 159 points
9. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 49+51+62 = 162 points
10. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso and Tina Plattner, 77+46+65 = 188 points
11. PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 25+88+110 = 223 points