With two wins from two light airs races Doug DeVos’ Quantum Racing powered by American Magic crew made the best possible start to the 52 SUPER SERIES’ first ever races to be hosted by their home yacht club, the New York Yacht Club.
The fives times series champions, now led by tactician Victor Diaz de Leon with Harry Melges IV steering laid down a marker by winning Race 1 from the start line and then passing Race 2 early leader Gladiator on the second round to establish a clear overall lead after the first day of the XS 52 SUPER SERIES Newport Trophy regatta.
Underlining how fortunes pivot from one regatta to the next, Thailand’s Whitcraft family – who were tenth last month at what was for them a disappointing season opener in Palma – today delivered a third and a second – to lie three points behind the leaders.
And the theme of family success on the regatta’s opening day continued today as father and daughter Hasso and Tina Plattner steered a race each – landing a sixth and second respectively – to lie third overall, those being the first races that the two owners have steered for more than a year.
For the 10 boat fleet today was a relatively gentle first introduction to racing off Newport. A patchy, streaky seven to eight knots sea breeze tested the teams’ abilities to change gears and keep powered up whilst avoiding the zones of lighter air.
Team Vayu started off the pin end of the line, Quantum Racing powered by American Magic had the best start mid line with Takashi Okura’s Sled beside them. At the top mark Quantum led from Sled with Vayu third. But Vayu managed to pass Sled on the second beat to steal second place.
There was a little more breeze for the second race. Tony Langley’s Gladiator swapped strategies between races to this time start off the pin neatly and lead at the top mark. But on the second upwind they were crossed by Quantum Racing powered by American Magic. As the home team went on to win, Ed Baird read the final run beautifully on Phoenix, getting to the left of both Gladiator and Vayu to lead them both through the finish, snapping at the heels of Quantum Racing powered by American Magic.
Former 49er Olympic campaigner Nevin Snow, who joined the US flagged Quantum team this year as strategist, explained, “We started conservatively I would say, but we had really awesome speed which it made it easier for us in the afterguard, Victor, Evelyn and I to get us round the course. There were small shifts throughout the day which I think we capitalised, on but we sailed really simple beats really simple runs – just one or two tacks, one or two gybes. For now we are very much building our processes as a young team and very much taking it day by day.”
Baird, who guided the Phoenix team to victory at the last event of 2023, was delighted to have returned with such a strong start to what is their first regatta of the season,
He smiled, “I would say we are very happy. It is a good way to start the event, there was enough breeze but not so much we were not having to push anything at all. Hasso was loving the first race for sure but he kind of ran out of steam a little and so it was great to then bring in Tina and she, too, did a great job. I am sure there is a little rivalry between Hasso and Tina but how intense that is you’d have to ask them! And the results today speaks to this team, they did great work and it is nice to have two drivers and switch them in and out.
Really we tried to sail clean and not make mistakes. We were not too crazy on risks but not be too conservative either, stay out of the fights and work together.”
Racing is programmed to start 1300hrs local time Tuesday (UTC minus 4hrs) with light winds expected to continue.
Underwater clean up at Fort Adams boat ramp today, with six divers from the URI (University of Rhode Island) division of Research and Economic Development. With their divers more than 35 kg of trash was collected from the sea floor
XS 52 SUPER SERIES NEWPORT RI TROPHY PROVISIONAL RESULTS
1. QUANTUM RACING POWERED BY AMERICAN MAGIC (USA), Doug DeVos, 1+1 = 2
2. VAYU (THA), Whitcraft FAMILY, 2+3 = 5
3. PHOENIX (RSA), Hasso & Tina Plattner, 6+2 = 8
4. PLATOON AVIATION (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 4+5 = 9
5. SLED (USA), Takashi Okura, 3+8 = 11
6. GLADIATOR (GBR), Tony Langley, 8+4 = 12
7. ALPHA+ (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 7+6 = 13
8. ALEGRE (GBR), Andy Soriano, 5+10 = 15
9. PAPREC (FRA), Jean-Luc Pethuguenin, 10+7 = 17
10. INTERLODGE (USA), Austin & Gwen Fragomen, 9+9 = 18
