52 Super Series Saint-Tropez Sailing Week, Platoon day

After modest opening days on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, two of the 52 Super Series top teams showed a marked return to form as the southerly breezes picked up on the second day of the 52 Super Series Saint-Tropez Sailing Week.

Harm Müller Spreer’s German flagged Platoon team – podium finishers for the last five years and two times World Champions – had an inauspicious start to their season Wednesday, but they bounced back from a 16pts first day to be top scoring boat today.

They won the first race comfortably and then showed considerable resolve, talent and speed when they fought back from being shut out at the start gun, having to circle round and start last, to take third place.

So too reigning world and circuit champions Quantum Racing powered by American Magic – which has four new, young key crew members on their team – showed considerable promise as they rolled out winners of the second windward-leeward.

The contrast to the first day was marked. While Wednesday saw the breeze fade late afternoon, today’s second contest was the Saint-Tropez race area at its best. Under beautiful Spring sunshine and on a sparkling Mediterranean the racing was tight and intense.  While nervous tension was high around the race village by the time the 11 boat fleet returned to the dock, the smiles on most boats told the story.

The Platoon recovery, with Vasco Vascotto and Jordi Calafat working in concert, was impressive.

Their navigator Jules Salter recalled

“The first race we had a good start and the guys did a good job of getting us to the right side of the course, we sailed a nice clean race and the boat is going well. The breeze shifted to the right just before the start and so it was very busy at the boat end of the line. We just go forced out by the guys did well keeping it tight up the first beat and then we had some good calls down the first run which got us back into it. The boat is going fast. We were up to third by the leeward gate. Yesterday was a bit shiftier, puffier and we got tangled up in one start and that cost us dearly. It was a tougher day and then you have to re-set and go again, which we did.”
Jean Luc Petithuguenin’s French team on Paprec led the first race down to the leeward gate but let Platoon slip away at the leeward gate but they finished second through the line ahead of Gladiator

Quantum Racing powered by American Magic were lucky to escape from the melee at the committee boat end of the line but they were able to clear and tack to the right and led the 2021 champions Sled round the course to take a morale boosting win.

Their young strategist Victor Diax de Leon noted,

“As a new afterguard we are getting to know each other we are getting to know each other and build the trust. That takes time and repetition but we are certainly glad to get a win under our belts.”
Platoon’s four points aggregate for the day elevates them to fourth place overall four points behind Austin and Gwen Fragomen’s Interlodge which sailed a solid 6,8 to see their lead at one point ahead of Provezza. Ergin Imre’s Turkish team scored 11pts today and are second two points ahead of Andy Soriano’s Alegre which has posted three fourth places.

52 Super Series Saint-Tropez Sailing Week after four races:

1 Interlodge, USA (Austin and Gwen Fragomen) 1,1,6,8 16 pts.
2 Provezza, TUR (Ergin Imre) 2,5,4,6 17 pts.
3 Alegre, GBR (Andy Soriano) 4,4,7,4 19 pts
4 Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer) 7,9,1,3 20 pts..
5 Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley) 5,3,3,11 22 pts.
6 Quantum Racing powered American Magic, USA (Doug DeVos) 6,8,8,1 23 pts..
7 Paprec, FRA (Jean Luc Petithuguenin) 11,6,2,7 26 pts.
8 Sled, USA (Takashi Okura) 8,7,9,2 26 pts.
9 Văyu, THA (fam. Whitcraft) 10,2,5,10 27 pts.
10 Alpha+, HKG (Shawn and Tina Kang) 3,11,10,5 29 pts.
11 Phoenix, RSA (Hasso  and Tina Plattner) 9,10,11,9 39 pts.