Winning both races today at the 2024 Rolex TP52 World Championship in Newport RI, Tony Langley’s Gladiator team have now scored three back-to-back victories and top the worlds leaderboard with a four points lead after four races.
They have won all three races from the left side of the first windward leg and in each successive contest built comfortable leading margins. In the first race of the day, raced in a fitful 7-9kts of breeze with difficult choppy waves and a leftover awkward swell Vayu were second and Doug DeVos’ Quantum Racing powered by American Magic were third. With their 3,2 Quantum were the second best scoring team today and move to fifth on the standings/
Of the difficult conditions – light wind, awkward waves – Gladiator’s three times TP52 World Champion helm, Argentinian Guillermo Parada said, “After a month of sea breezes since we were here last time it is a lot more choppy and I like that chop. We have very short, sharp waves in Buenos Aires on the River Plate and so I like that. I am used to them and I like the waves. But what we have learned is that once the sea breeze is established the right can also be strong, it is never that clear. And so you have to grab all the information you have and make the call and today Tony made good calls.”
He continued: “We have speed as well, we think we know a little bit where it coming from but we are surprised and pleased to be going so well. We need to start every new day afresh. I am not looking at the points, I am not looking at the standings. It is the middle of the season and we need to keep doing what took us up to here.”
Andy Soriano’s Alegre hold a good second place, remaining steadily consistent over the first four races, avoiding the big numbers so far,
“It is such a tricky race course here. You really have to get off the start line well and then see where it goes from there. There are sides which are paying but a lot of the time it is not that obvious. At this stage you are just looking to get off the start line well and see how it plays.” Nic Asher, Alegre’s tactician explains.
And after their 16 points opening day, Races 3 and 4 were so much more profitable today for the Quantum Racing powered by American Magic.
“We had two good starts today and so were able to execute our plan. To be honest we did not do anything much different today but the processes were better. We still have six races to go and so we need to keep sailing well, like we did today.” Quantum’s bowman Greg Gendell summarised.
ROLEX TP52 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2024 after four races
1. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 9+1+1+1 = 12
2. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 3+4+6+3 = 16
3. VAYU (THA), Family Whitcraft, 1+7+2+8 = 18
4. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 2+2+9+6 = 19
5. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 6+10+3+2 = 21
6. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 5+5+5+7 = 22
7. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 7+3+4+9 = 23
8. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 4+8+8+5 = 25
9. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso and Tina Plattner, 10+6+7+4 = 27
10. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin and Gwen Fragomen, 8+9+11(DNS)+11(DNS) = 39
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