2026’s world champions Gladiator show form on practice day in Porto Cervo
The 2026 world champions, Tony Langley’s Gladiator may have laid down a marker ahead of Tuesday’s start to the Rolex TP52 World Championship when they led both of today’s light wind practice races.
After a solid showing at May’s first regatta of the season, finishing sixth in Puerto Portals, Mallorca, the British flagged team which won the worlds two years ago in Newport RI sailed smoothly and fast today leading early in both practice heats.
Guille Parada is steering while owner Langley and 2025’s worlds and circuit winning Victor Diaz de Leon are collaborating on tactics and strategy. Considering this is, in effect, a new dynamic as Langley was sidelined by injury in Mallorca due to a back injury, Gladiator showed great form but helm Parada played down their showing today.
The Argentinian ace stated, “We learned that it’s going to be a long week, a tricky week. The wind inside the bay today was very unstable, so we need to trust what we are doing. But for sure the boat is going well, so we need to avoid making big mistakes and tp trust that the averages will work for us. But really today doesn’t mean anything. We had a good day, obviously, but the regatta starts tomorrow, so nothing changed from yesterday to today and nothing should have to change from today to tomorrow. So we need to keep focused and pushing hard in order to keep our averages as good as we can.”
The signs are encouraging that this new afterguard has great potential, Victor Diaz de Leon joining from last year’s double champions American Magic Quantum Racing, “In fact this is the first regatta that we are going to be doing together because in Portals Tony wasn’t able to sail. So we are working on it. Everybody has his own style, so it’s all about knowing the other one and trusting each other. Obviously we have some seasons together with Tony already, so we know each other, but now trying to bring Victor into the mix is a challenge. Victor is obviously a very talented sailor and we just need to learn how to communicate in the proper way within the three of us to make things happen.”
This regatta also sees the debut of the Italian Vudu team
This world championship sees a record of 15 TP52s on the starting line for the first time since the 52 SUPER SERIES started in 2012. It is the circuit’s eighth visit since 2012 and the event, hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda has been sponsored by Rolex since 2017.
The competition programme for the Rolex TP52 World Championship Porto Cervo 2026 will run from Tuesday 16 June to Saturday 20 June. On that day, the 2026 TP52 World Champion will be crowned in the Piazza Azzurra at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.
The regatta will be broadcast live via the official 52 SUPER SERIES media platforms.
Entries for the Rolex TP52 World Championship Porto Cervo 2026
1. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano
2. Alkedo (ITA), Andrea Lacorte
3. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang
4. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim
5. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass
6. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley
7. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin
8. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer
9. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre
10. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema
11. Sled, Takashi Okura
12. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim
13. Trinity (SWE), Joakim Sundberg
14. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft Family
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri
Provisional standings 52 SUPER SERIES 2026 after one of five regattas
1. Sled, Takashi Okura, 42
2. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 51
3. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 52
4. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 56
5. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 58
6. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 59
7. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 59
8. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 67
9. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 72
10. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 73
11. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 83
12. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft Family, 86
13. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 90
14. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim, 100
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 135
