Porto Cervo delivered exactly the conditions that separate the fleet from the pretenders on Day 2 of the 52 Super Series finale, with a ferocious Mistral pushing gusts past 28 knots across the racecourse. Takashi Okura's Sled produced a performance of real authority, leaving the rest of the fleet scrambling in their wake.
The American-flagged boat made a clean start near the pin end and was sitting just behind Andy Soriano's Alegre at the first top mark. On the second upwind, Sled moved decisively, with Francesco Bruni and Kiwi Murray Jones driving the boat into clear air and open water. Once in front, they were never threatened, posting downwind speeds exceeding 21 knots to claim the first race win of the week.
Mainsheet trimmer and fellow Kiwi Don Cowie summed up the day afterwards. "It was a great day, pure Porto Cervo," he said. "Lots of fun, pure Porto Cervo. We reached 21.5 knots of speed downwind. But it's very tough, very windy and with lots of gusts, we're very happy with how the boat performed. At the start of the day we agreed that we had to be careful, be cautious. We reminded ourselves that 'to finish first, first you have to finish'. Porto Cervo has been good to us in the past, but there is still a long way to go in the championship."
After the frustration of Day 1, American Magic Quantum Racing gave a much-improved account of themselves. Doug DeVos and his crew navigated the fleet with composure, favouring an offshore line down the opening run that paid off well. A broach threatened to complicate matters late in the race, but the team held together to finish second and bring some welcome stability to their push for the season title.
Alegre continued to bank results with the quiet efficiency that has characterised their regatta. Third place, steered by tactician Paul Goodison alongside navigator Francesco Mongelli and strategist Pietro Sibello, kept the British entry firmly within striking distance at the top of the leaderboard. Paprec rounded out the notable finishers with fourth, remaining close enough to the podium picture to keep the pressure on.
For Phoenix, the Mistral proved an uncomfortable companion. The South African team, bolstered by SailGP talent Tom Slingsby, Will Ryan, and Kyle Langford, could not find their rhythm in the heavy, gusty conditions and crossed the line eighth, which dropped them to fourth overall.
The day's most dramatic moment belonged to Platoon Aviation, and not in a way Harm Müller-Spreer's crew would care to remember. The German entry had already absorbed the blow of collision damage on Day 1 and were showing signs of regrouping when a spinnaker drop at the leeward mark went badly wrong. A promising third place unravelled completely, sending them tumbling through the fleet to finish eleventh and leaving their championship prospects in an increasingly difficult position.
Alpha+, who had made such a striking impression on Day 1 with a race win, found the going tougher this time and settled for ninth. That result leaves them level on points with Italy's Alkedo.
Two days of racing leave Sled holding a five-point cushion over Alegre, with Paprec and Phoenix locked together in third and fourth. American Magic Quantum Racing's recovery has moved them up to sixth, while Platoon Aviation's grip on podium ambitions continues to loosen.
Leaderboard after Day 2:
- Sled, USA, Takashi Okura, 4+2+1= 7 - Alegre, GBR, Andy Soriano, 6+3+3= 12 - Paprec, FRA, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 2+9+4 = 15 - Phoenix, RSA, Tina and Hasso Plattner, 3+4+8= 15 - Platoon Aviation, GER, Harm Müller-Spreer, 1+6.5(RDG)+11= 18.5 - American Magic Quantum Racing, USA, Doug DeVos, 10+8+2 = 20 - Gladiator, GBR, Tony Langley, 7+6(+3)+5 = 21 - Provezza, TUR, Ergin Imre, 11+5+6= 22 - Alpha+, HKG, Shawn and Tina Kang, 13+1+9= 23 - Alkedo, ITA, Andrea Lacorte, 9+7+7 = 23 - Vayu, THA, Whitcraft family, 8+10+10= 28 - Crioula, BRA, Eduardo and Renato Plass, 5+11+13= 29 - Teasing Machine, FRA, Eric de Turckheim, 12+12+12= 36
American Magic Quantum Racing lead the 2025 52 Super Series standings on 151 points, with Sled second on 179. The season points table, updated through Race Days 1 and 2 at Porto Cervo, reads as follows:
- American Magic Quantum Racing, 151 points - Sled, 179 points - Paprec, 214.5 points - Alkedo, 220 points - Platoon Aviation, 225.5 points - Alpha+, 237.5 points - Alegre, 241 points - Vayu, 249 points - Provezza, 267 points - Gladiator, 295 points - Phoenix, 322 points - Crioula, 368 points - Teasing Machine, 381 points
With the Mistral showing no sign of easing, Porto Cervo has the ingredients for a genuinely unpredictable finale. Sled are flying, Alegre refuse to wilt, and the chasing pack remains close enough to keep every race significant. Plenty of sailing remains to reshape what has been written so far.
