Valencia is this week taking centre stage on the international sailing scene. The 52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week is now underway, with Marina Port Valencia welcoming sixteen teams from eleven nationalities – the largest fleet in the circuit's fifteen-year history. Until 10 October, some of the world's top sailors will be battling it out in Valencia to decide both the winner of the final event and the overall 2026 season champion.

The event kicked off with the official presentation led by Nacho Gómez, creator of the podcast El Role, and featuring elite sailors Joan Vila and Nacho Postigo, as well as the CEO of the 52 SUPER SERIES, Agustín Zulueta. The event underlined the significance of Valencia returning to a competition of this calibre, while cementing the city's place on the international sailing map.

The operations hub for this grand finale is Marina Port Valencia, where the sixteen participating teams are berthed. TP52s, at almost 16 metres in length, are yachts that demand a high level of preparation both on and off the water. Fine-tuning each boat is crucial ahead of racing where the margins between crews can be razor thin.

The event's international reach is one of its biggest draws, turning Marina Port Valencia into a meeting point for sailing professionals from all over the world. These include the Brazilian teams Caballo Loco and Crioula, the German team Platoon Aviation, the US team Katana (making its debut on the circuit), the 

Japanese team Sled, the French teams Paprec and Teasing Machine, the Italian teams Alkedo Cetilar and Vudu, and the Turkish team Provezza.

But the 52 SUPER SERIES is much more than what happens on the water. Behind every boat is a whole team working around the clock on preparation, weather, strategy, sails, electronics, logistics and maintenance. Such is the level of professionalism that each team draws on specialists across a range of disciplines, honing every detail to ensure they reach the racecourse at their very best. All this work on dry land is therefore a key element in crew performance on the water.

That same community spirit was at the heart of the opening day of Valencia Sailing Week. Following the training day, Marina Port Valencia hosted the first 'AfterSailing Event', giving crews the chance to unwind and spend some time together away from the racing before the decisive days ahead. The marina prepared a paella for all the crews, in an initiative that also involved Varadero Valencia, Nautipaints and Yacht Moving. Sailors, technical teams and industry professionals came together to share thoughts and unwind after their first taste of the racecourse.

The arrival of the 52 SUPER SERIES also highlights deep-rooted the city's connection with the sea and the yachting industry. Beyond staging a world-class international competition, Valencia is home to a professional yachting ecosystem with the expertise to support the organisation, preparation and maintenance of top-calibre racing yachts. The fleet's presence further boosts Valencia's role as a destination for major sailing events and a meeting point for professionals from around the world.

On the water, the tight competition promises to keep thrills going right through to the final day. Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation has arrived in Valencia as leader of the overall standings with 171 points, followed by Takashi Okura's Sled, with 182 points. Behind them, Alkedo Cetilar, Paprec and Trinity Racing also have a chance to shine. With up to ten scoring races ahead, every start, tack, rounding and tactical call could change the standings and reshape the title battle.

For a few days, Valencia Sailing Week is turning Marina Port Valencia into much more than a home port for the racing. It's a meeting place for sailors, coaches, companies and fans, as well as a window to the world to showcase Valencia's ability to host major sailing events.

With free public access to the Fan Zone at the foot of Veles e Vents in the heart of Marina Port Valencia, live broadcasts and the chance to admire the boats up close and meet the people behind them, the event is also bringing top-level sailing closer to the public and showcasing the sporting, technological and human side of racing at this level.

In short, Valencia is ready for the ultimate 52 SUPER SERIES showdown. Five days of racing, sixteen boats, a world-class fleet and one title on the line.