Fifteen TP52s on the start line at once is a record for the class, and the fleet made full use of the occasion off Porto Cervo yesterday, producing two windward-leeward races that left the overall standings razor-tight. Sled and Vayu share the early lead on six points apiece, with a full week of racing still ahead.
The Gulf of Arzachena provided an ideal setting. With the island of Caprera as a backdrop and the waters off Baja Sardinia giving the Race Committee a clean slate, the fleet was sent away into a ten-knot east-north-easterly that held steady through both races. Conditions rewarded clear thinking over raw boat speed, keeping the focus firmly on tactics and execution.
Race one produced a dramatic finish. Teasing Machine had held a comfortable lead through the opening three legs, only for Alkedo Vitamina to mount a late charge on the final run and take the gun. Race two played out very differently, with Sled getting away cleanly from the start and never losing their grip. Tactician Francesco Bruni committed to an aggressive port-tack start at the pin end while the rest of the fleet scrambled to react. "It was a pleasant surprise to get this wind in both races," Bruni explained. "The conditions were very similar to recent days, with the right-hand side offering a clear advantage. The Race Committee had set a starting line that slightly favoured the pin end to avoid overcrowding by the committee boat, and we'd studied that opportunity over the previous days."
Vayu earned their share of the lead through consistent scoring across both races, that reliability proving just as effective as outright race wins at this early stage of the series. No Way Back trail on eight points, while Alkedo Vitamina and Platoon Aviation are locked together on ten apiece.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 1 p.m. local time, though lighter winds are forecast and a shift in conditions could redraw the tactical picture considerably. The TP52 World Championship forms the second leg of the 52 SUPER SERIES and continues through the week on these same waters. With a fifteen-boat fleet where small execution advantages compound quickly across a series, the leaderboard at this early stage reflects only part of what is still to come.
