The 52 Super Sets is offering a show in Menorca. This Saturday the fourth (penultimate) day of competition of the Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup was held and the Regatta Committee, led by María Torrijo from Alicante, took the nine teams off the Isla del Aire, south of Menorca . It was there where the necessary breeze was located to add partial scores to the team lockers and Platoon was pushed Aeolus towards the lead. The team owned by German Harm Müller-Spreer won the two tests held this Saturday and regained first place in the Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup. They currently lead Provezza by Turkish Ergin Imre by two points, winner of the first two titles of the season, and this Sunday, in the last day, they will try to defend this income to become champion.
The fleet went out into the water this Saturday an hour later than expected and with many doubts about the stability of the wind. This caused the day to end later than usual, but it was worth it. And more taking into account what was experienced in the first round. This started with around 12 knots of wind and a notable swell in favor of the fleet. The beginning was promising, but the test was resolved, without exaggeration, in the last 20 meters, when the breeze disappeared and left the boats practically without steering. After completing an excellent regatta, Sled arrived first but without pressure, touched the finish buoy and had to take a penalty while watching helplessly as up to seven rivals slipped through. Platoon was the most benefited, rising in just a breath from seventh to first position. Alegre was also penalized for an incident with Provezza, going from the second scheduled place to the seventh final. The second from Provezza caused a momentary tie at the head of the provisional between the Turkish ship and the German leader. The lottery of the wind also favored Vayu, who went from eighth to third at the very finish line.
Platton, who has a Spanish accent because The Galician Víctor Mariño, the Balearic Jordi Calafat and the Cantabrian Javier Plaza compete, he arrived at the excellent Club Marítimo de Mahón as happy as he was satisfied because his effort was rewarded. In the first sleeve he was lucky to win and in the second, quality. After the wind had disappeared, the Committee quickly moved the race course back to the north, where the breeze had picked up to 11-12 knots from the northerly component, practically the opposite of the previous race. On this occasion it did hold out until the entire fleet completed the course. Platoon took the initiative from the first meters with a masterful start from the setter and helmsman Harm Müller-Spreer and the tactician Vasco Vascotto, to uncompromisingly demarcate towards their second consecutive partial victory, which helped him to consolidate his leadership at the head of the table. The Galician Víctor Mariño, crew member of Platoon, explained upon reaching land that “I have to congratulate María (Torrijo) for having won two races today and for having succeeded in quickly sending us from one course to another. In the first we had that share of luck that you need to win these events, since it is not enough to do it well. Sometimes luck favors you, sometimes not. In the second, the truth is that we did very well, leaving quickly and hitting the first decision.”.
This Sunday the Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup will be decided, with two tests scheduled starting at 12:30. The current ranking shows the leader Platoon with two points of rent over Provezza, eight over Gladiator and ten over Alegre. This causes that, in a fleet of nine teams and in a competition without discards, the identity of the champion will only be known in the last round. “Our boat is doing especially well in medium conditions, but Provezza this year is surprising us. She is the stronger boat and I think all conditions favor her. She is definitely the boat to beat. It will be difficult, but we have to navigate, and if we have that spark, we can aspire to win the event”, added Mariño.
Provisional classification Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup:
1- PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+3+2+5+8+5+1+1 = 26
2- PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 2+8+6+2+4+1+2+3 = 28
3- GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 8+9+1+1+1+6+4+4 = 34
4- JOYFUL (GBR), Andy Soriano, 4+2+5+3+3+7+7+5 = 36
5- SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 5+1+4+4.5(RDG)+7+2+8+6 = 37.5
6- PAPREC (FRA), Jean Luc Petithuguenin, 7+5+7+7+2+4+9+2 = 43
7- QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 6+6+3+6+6+3+6+9 = 45
8- VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 3+7+9+10(DNF)+5+8+3+7+3(PEN) = 55
9- ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 9+4+8+4+9+9+5+8 = 56