"Provezza" wins the 52nd SUPER SERIES PalmaVela Sailing Week with a masterful final regatta

The bay of Palma presented its best conditions for the grand finale of the 52 SUPER SERIES PalmaVela Sailing Week. Winds of around 20 knots and big waves bid farewell to the first event of the season with three dizzying races that allowed the Turkish "Provezza" to complete a spectacular comeback, proclaiming himself the winner of the event and becoming the leader of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2024.

A day of spectacular conditions bid farewell to the 52 SUPER SERIES PalmaVela Sailing Week after a week in which the vagaries of the wind only allowed racing on three of the five scheduled days. The wind started blowing at around 14 knots and evolved to over 20 knots, with a sea state that added extra excitement to the regatta and even caused a member of the Hong Kong team "Alpha+" to fall overboard, fortunately without consequences. 

After four days and four races sailed, the provisional standings went into the grand finale headed by the tie on points between the leader "Alegre" and "Quantum Racing powered by American Magic", with "Sled" one point further back. But the three scheduled races were to completely shake up the standings and prove that in the 52 SUPER SERIES anything can happen. 

The first race of the day was a masterclass for "Quantum Racing". The boat led by Víctor Díaz de León and helmed by Harry Melges was unrivaled, winning by almost a minute over its nearest rival, the American boat "Interlodge". A result that allowed "Quantum Racing" to position itself as a solid leader at the top of the provisional rankings and to dream of a new title.

In the second race, Britain's "Gladiator" got it right on the far left of the line and sailed almost unchallenged from the first mark to take their second partial victory of the week. "Platoon Aviation" finished an excellent second ahead of "Sled", while "Quantum Racing" held on to the lead in the standings by the narrowest of margins despite a discreet eighth place.

The excitement was at its peak, and the first 2024 title was to be decided in the seventh and final race of the championship. "Vayu", helmed by former Thai Optimist champion Noppakao Poonpat, was the best in the first leg. Behind, an inspired and motivated "Provezza" seemed to be flying. Ergin Imre's crew resorted to the same weapons that allowed them to dominate much of last season to achieve a victory with a lot of meaning: On the one hand, it allowed Ergin Imre's team to take the first event of the season (fifth since their first regatta in 2012) and become the leader of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2024. On the other hand, it meant saying goodbye to his boat from the top of the podium. This was the last regatta for "Provezza" with this TP52, as they are building a new one with which they will compete in the last two events of the year.

Nacho Postigo, navigator of the Turkish boat, explained on arriving ashore: "It has been spectacular. It's spring, the weather is not easy, it's not stable, and it hasn't been easy for the Race Committee. We are very happy, because winning in these conditions with such instability is a great tribute to the whole team and a nice way to say goodbye to our old P10".

Owner Ergin Imre was thrilled with a result that seemed unattainable when they started the event with a seventh in the first race: "We are extremely happy. It was a regatta with ups and downs, but what made the difference is how we handled the low moments, and winning the last race was a dream come true. And it's also a way of putting last season behind us. The key this week was not giving up: in one race we got caught up with a buoy, came in last by a big margin and still finished seventh; that's what makes the difference."

"Provezza" started the event in seventh place, climbed back to fifth and only managed to put himself in a position to take the lead after scoring a third in the first race of the last day.

“Provezza" was joined on the podium by "Quantum Racing powered by American Magic" (two points behind the champion) and "Interlodge" (seven points behind). 

With the first event of the season completed, the 52 SUPER SERIES will head to the United States, where they will race the next two events on the calendar. On their first visit to Newport (Rhode Island), the fleet will be based at the historic New York Yacht Club, where the XS 52 SUPER SERIES Newport Trophy will be held from the 10th to the 16th of June and the Rolex TP52 World Championship Newport 2024, the TP52 World Championship, from the 15th to the 20th of July. After their American leg, the 52 SUPER SERIES will return to Spain to compete in the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week from the 27th of August to the 1st of September and the Valencia 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup from 23rd to 28th ofAugust.