Men at work… Dean Barker and Terry Hutchinson in Cascais (above) on the way to the 2018 TP52 world title. There is a lot of America’s Cup ‘feel’ about this year’s TP52 circuit with Prada and Hutchinson’s American Magic team flexing their muscles against each other (left) plus a plethora of other ‘resting’ Cup sailors scattered around the rest of the TP52 fleet. Grant Dalton famously once said of his then two Cup drivers: ‘if I needed a helmsman to steer for my life I would want Dean Barker, but if I needed a helmsman to race for my life I’d want Ben Ainslie (this was before Pete Burling arrived on the Kiwi Cup scene…). How the ‘older’ school skills of Barker and Spithill match up against Burling et al in flying monohulls – as opposed to the flying cats of Bermuda – in Auckland in 2021 will be fascinating to watch
team. The amount of time spent off the water analysing race, weather and boat data gets close to the time spent on the water and is certainly part of the fun as well as essential to pave the way to success. To do a proper job in conditions as experienced in Cascais and leave all but Dean Barker behind you must be immensely rewarding. With two events to go nothing is decided yet for the overall trophies. Two medium-breeze events coming up on the well-known battle grounds of Palma Bay and Valencia for 20 more windward-leeward races to bring the final verdict… there is no discard in Super Series. Sled on average ‘only’ has to finish each race ahead of Quantum to take the title. Azzurra and Luna Rossa need to be just over 1.5 places ahead per race and Platoon and Alegre are certainly still in contention for 3rd, if not 2nd overall.
In Portals we expect 10 boats and in Valencia 11 for a grand finale. The more boats the more points to play for. For 2019 I expect most boats to undergo modifications in the appendage department. With regattas planned in Mahon (May), Puerto Sherry (June), Cascais (July), Portals (TP52 Worlds, August) and Porto Cervo (September), for sure there will be on average over 40 races, more breeze and more variety in sailing conditions than this year. Something to analyse, plan and optimise for. Compared to 2018, with nine new boat launchings to get through, I expect to see the majority of the teams on the water early in 2019 to test and train as well as to race the Palma Vela regatta, before hopping over to Menorca for our first event.
Team Luna Rossa will not be with us in 2019, aiming for greater goals, but their boat will not leave us and sailing her will be a familiar owner-driver team from the not so distant past. Of course we hope to see a few more additions, building new from existing moulds or even designing new and pushing hull development further up the never-ending road.
I solidly hope that also in the future we can get to your homes with full event coverage, as we had for this year’s worlds. It is a matter of money – we sometimes might seem from another planet to those watching us but I can assure you that on our planet too there are budgets and tough decisions. The neighbour’s sea always looks greener… Not trying to change the subject, just to end this page. Thank you for your time and keep checking in on us!! Rob Weiland, TP52 and Maxi72 class manager
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