Racing in Asia for the first time in the circuit's history headlines the 2027 calendar for the 52 SUPER SERIES, with Thailand set to host two regattas early in the season.
The Thailand 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week runs 8–13 February, followed by the Rolex TP52 World Championship from 18–23 March. Both events will be held at Ocean Marina near Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand, racing under the flag of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club. Ocean Marina is Thailand's biggest full-service marina complex.
Behind the Thai regattas is the Whitcraft Family, who have campaigned the Thai-flagged Vayu on the 52 SUPER SERIES for five years. In 2024 Her Majesty Queen Suthida of Thailand, a keen sailor, competed aboard Vayu at the Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week. She is anticipated to be an active participant when the series races in her home country.
Co-owner Kevin Whitcraft is confident about the venue and the conditions. "The marina is lovely and has just been refurbished last year and the venue is spectacular and self contained. The Yacht Club is very picturesque. It is very much a palm trees and sandy beaches kind of location. Thailand may have a reputation for being a light winds venue but we will be in a transition from a northerly breeze in January to southerly in March so we should get some decent breeze."
The move reflects a long-term goal to race outside Europe every second year. Series CEO Agus Zulueta: "We are committed to extending the global reach and profile of the 52 SUPER SERIES, visiting new and interesting places to share new challenges and cultural experiences together. We are very much looking forward to taking the 52 SUPER SERIES to Asia and to Thailand."
The European leg opens at Sorrento on the Bay of Naples, 25–30 May, timed to coincide with the opening round robin phase of the Louis Vuitton Cup as the 38th America's Cup gets under way nearby. Another first for the series.
From there the circuit heads to Scarlino in Tuscany, 5–10 July, a venue it has visited in 2016, 2017, and 2023. The season concludes at Puerto Portals, Mallorca, 14–19 September.
A new structural element for 2027 is the Royal Cup, awarded to the team with the best aggregate score across the three European regattas. The overall season championship format is unchanged, with all races across all five events counting toward the title.
