«Provezza» won in Saint-Tropez and is the first leader of the Rolex 52 Super Series 2023

2023-05-08 06:38:26
Ergin Imre’s Provezza is the first leader of the 2023 Rolex 52 Super Series. The boat helmed by John Cutler was proclaimed champion of the opening event of the season, Saint-Tropez Sailing Week, based on its consistency, proving once again that it is not necessary to score partial victories to achieve glory in a competition format in which every race counts and there are no discards. The one in Saint-Tropez is the first title for the Turkish boat since 2019, when it won the Puerto Sherry 52 Royal Cup held in the waters of Cádiz. After a blank day due to the absence of wind, the fleet of eleven teams that competed for the historic first event in France was able to say goodbye to Saint-Tropez with two exciting final tasks in difficult conditions: 5 to 8 knots of unstable wind. With the first three classified compressed into only two points and at least three others with mathematical options to enter the fight for the title, everything was decided in the last round. The debut of the circuit in the bay of Saint-Tropez resulted in eight of the ten scheduled events being held. The first of the day helped Phoenix to partially make up for its most discreet event since the end of 2019, when the South African team finished ninth in Mahón. Despite crossing the start line late, tactician Santi Lange was right to quickly point his bow to the right of the course and re-teamed without looking back towards his expected first victory of the season. Platoon was second and Sled third. Quantum Racing powered by American Magic’s fifth position allowed the American team to snatch the provisional lead from Turkey’s Provezza, seventh in this event, in the tiebreaker. The eighth and last test of the week was going to decide everything. It was enough for the defending champions to stay ahead of Provezza to confirm their progression and score their first win of the year, but Ergim Imre’s team, with John Cutler at the helm and Hamish Pepper at the tactic, led their rival in the crucial start and from there it was all uphill for Quantum Racing powered by American Magic. Once again, the Bay of Saint-Tropez favored those who believed in the right of the field, and the winner this time was going to be Tony Langley’s Gladiator in the tactical debut of Argentine Guillermo Parada. The British boat scored a deserved victory, but the most decisive thing was going to be the second position scored by Provezza and the eighth position by Quantum Racing. The Turkish boat confirmed its hard-fought victory at Saint-Tropez Sailing Week despite not winning any sleeves, and became the first leader of the 2023 season. Provezza leaves France with 34 points on its scoreboard, six less than the tie between the champion 2022 and Gladiator, both with 40. After completing the first event of the five that make up the 52 Super Series 2023, the fleet will head to Italy to celebrate Scarlino Sailing Week from May 29 to June 3. The regatta course off the Tuscan coast hosted the circuit last year in September with magnificent and varied sailing conditions, with a wind range between 5-8 knots and over 20 in what was probably the best day of the season. Quantum Racing won. Previously, the 52 Super Series were held at Scarlino in 2016 and 2017, both on similar dates to this year and with respective victories for Quantum Racing and Platoon. Classification 1- PROVEZZA (TUR), Ergin Imre, 2+5+4+6+2+6+7+2 = 34 2- QUANTUM (USA), Doug DeVos, 6+8+8+1+3+1+ 5+8 = 40 3- GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 5+3+3+11+10+3+4+1 = 40 4- ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 4+4+7+4+ 5+2+11+6 = 43 5- INTERLODGE (USA), Austin and Gwen Fragomen, 1+1+6+8+7+9+10+3 = 45 6- SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 8+ 7+9+2+1+11+3+4 = 45 7- PLATOON (GER), Harm Müller Spreer, 7+9+1+3+9+4+2+10 = 45 8- PAPREC (FRA), Jean Luc Petithuguenin, 11+6+2+7+6+7+6+11 = 56 9- PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso and Tina Plattner, 9+10+11+9+4+8+1+5 = 57 10- VAYU (THA), Whitcraft Family, 10+2+5+10+11+5+8+7 = 58 11- ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 3+11+10+5+8+10 +9+9 = 65
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