Very old school: Alberto Roemers’ 2019 Super Series champion Azzurra displays the one fixed keel, one rudder, no water ballast configuration that still serves the TP52 class very well indeed, producing the highest standard of inshore yacht racing outside the America’s Cup; in fact, the actual racing in the TP52 Super Series has been much closer than in any Cup since the demise of the ACC monohulls following Valencia 2007. That situation won’t change with the next Cup, when a new class rule packed with areas of potential major divergence in design promises another match dominated by boat performance. In contrast the TP52 rule produces refined boats and all now in the same tiny design space… an outstanding formula for super-tight racing
sought to clinch the world title in September, in Mallorca, the German team were handed three expensive penalties, finishing eighth and ninth in the last two races. At that point the task of also winning the Super Series became an uphill struggle…
‘There was a lot at stake and we wanted to win the worlds but a succession of things went wrong,’ admits Platoon’s America’s Cup-winning trimmer Ross Halcrow. ‘Even having a penalty from a start which was then postponed… that was another costly lesson. ‘But there is no doubt we made good improvements around the rig and sail programme, we were generally very happy with our set- up and could hold our lanes well when we got good starts.’ Both the Vrolijk designs, Provezza and Platoon, cross-sheet their jibs J/80- style which Halcrow considers an advantage from 8kt to 11kt up. Halcrow says they are still working at being able to keep the bow up for longer in marginal planing conditions, their pioneering move to fit a third pedestal aft definitely helping. At least three or four other teams are now looking at a third pedestal for next season – which starts in the breezy flat-water conditions of Cape Town where good planing performance will be critical. However, class rules only allow two such changes each year, so take that extra pedestal off for subsequent light-air rounds and it must also stay off for the season finale in Porto Cervo with its propensity for mistrals. ‘Next season is going to be a whole new challenge because we will start out with the windiest regatta, the first one in South Africa,’ says Halcrow. ‘The second event, the Rolex TP52 Worlds, will be slightly lighter, and then we go to Scarlino where it will probably be
FOR 2.995,- SYSTEM SAILMON COMPLETE GET A
lighter still. Plus the time to make changes is shorter than ever as the boats need to be ready to go on the ship for South Africa.’ Quantum Racing took third for 2019, just two points behind their training partners Platoon. In this high-quality, very even fleet they had a hatful of extra variables to contend with this year, not least a change of leadership style following the departure of Terry Hutchin- son to American Magic.
Factoring in seven changes in the crew line-up in total, integrating owner-driver Doug DeVos to steer at the last two events of the season, was a big ask in such a high-level fleet. By the final regatta Cameron Appleton also appeared to be playing strategist to Ed Baird as tactician, the opposite from how the two had divided the roles at the start of the season.
That the championship was diluted at the last down to a three- cornered title bout between Platoon, Azzurra and Quantum was evident in Sardinia as soon as the rig came down on Provezza. The Turkish team had proved electric in the 8-11kt range but still lacked the heavy-air performance needed to win a long series of 50-plus races… and with no discard.
So too Alegre won many races and were especially quick downwind in the breeze but equally had too many off days, while Bronenosec need to temper their game with slightly less risk-taking to cut down on unnecessary penalties.
But never mind everyone else, the talk of 2020 is Sled. The Japanese team coached by Rod Davis was outstanding in Porto Cervo with a great heavy-air set-up. They took six of the nine races, five on the trot, which is unprecedented in this inch-tight fleet. Sled ducked Cascais to compete in the 12 Metre Worlds in Newport and so arrived in Sardinia with their strong wind sails still fresh. Nevertheless the team had clearly developed settings that were suddenly being scrutinised to the nth degree by their rivals (or rather their coach RIBs) as the Porto Cervo round progressed. All the other crews are mindful of the risk of being similarly thrashed when the Cape Doctor does his rounds early in 2020. Now there’s a thought for the competition to take with them into a long winter break… Andi Robertson
SEAHORSE 41
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