Tony Langley's Gladiator led both practice races on Monday ahead of Tuesday's opening day of the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Porto Cervo, laying down an early marker at a regatta that has drawn a record 15-boat fleet.
The defending world champions claimed the title two years ago in Newport RI and arrive with a reshaped afterguard. Guille Parada has the helm, with Langley and Victor Diaz de Leon sharing tactical and strategic duties. It is effectively their first regatta together as a trio, with Langley having missed the season opener in Puerto Portals, Mallorca in May due to a back injury.
Diaz de Leon joined from last year's double champions American Magic Quantum Racing. Parada is open about the work still to be done bringing the group together: "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."
For all Gladiator's pace in the light, shifty air inside the bay, Parada was measured about what Monday's results actually mean.
"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 to 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 fleet of 15 is the largest since the 52 Super Series began in 2012, and includes Italian newcomer Vudu making its debut. The event is hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, which has had Rolex as sponsor since 2017, and marks the circuit's eighth visit to Porto Cervo.
In the provisional 2026 standings after one regatta, Gladiator sits seventh on 59 points, level with Crioula. Takashi Okura's Sled leads on 42 points, ahead of Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation on 51 and Pieter Heerema's No Way Back on 52.
Racing runs from Tuesday 16 June to Saturday 20 June, when the 2026 world champion will be crowned at the Piazza Azzurra.
