Sled lead world championship after impressive port tack start launches Race 2 victory
An audacious port tack start, the likes of which has not been seen for a long time, was the perfect launch pad for Takashi Okura’s Sled team to build from an win the second race of the Rolex TP52 World Championship. Added to a hard earned fifth place in the first race the 2021 world champions who won 2026’s opening event last month in Mallorca hold the championship lead but only on countback from the Whitcraft family’s Vayu team which composed two third places.
Racing on the beautiful waters of Costa Smeralda on smooth seas and breezes from nine to 12 knots the track yielded a consistent benefit on the right side of the upwind legs. In general that created a scramble to get right from the start line.
With the race officer trying to even up the course by moving the left end of the start upwind that created the option which Sled acted on perfectly. With a near perfect execution Sled jumped out to an immediate early lead which they only grew to record an impressive win, all the more so considering this world championship has attracted a record entry of 15 teams from 11 nations.
Tactician Francesco Bruni was still smiling as he arrived back at the dock at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, “That second race will be remembered for a long time by all of us. A great start on port tack at the pin end is not something you see every day in the TP52 class, or indeed any class. So we are very proud of our first day. Finishing fifth in the first race after a good recovery was as important as winning the second race. We had the start planned for a couple of days. We know the race committee put on some bias on that pin end of the line as everyone wants to go right. So it was good to do it today. I am not sure anyone else is going to be able to do it again for the rest of the week. It is obviously a risky move but it was well planned and well executed at just the right time.”
Vayu were the most consistent. With four members of the family aboard, Dylan steering with Shane Elliot navigating and Palma based Manu Weiler calling tactics, Vayu slipped clear of No Way Back and Platoon Aviation after a tight, overlapped first windward mark to go on to their first of two third places. They were equally clean and impressive on the second race. And so they share the regatta lead. A month ago at the end of Day 1 in Puerto Portals they were clear first day leaders but slid down the fleet thereafter. Tactician Manu Weiler believes this time it could be more sustainable
“ Yes it is similar to Puerto Portals last month and we hope we don’t repeat what happened there. We lead in Puerto Portals but then we had crew changes and it got breezier but this week looks set to stay light and so we should have no issues. We are very happy to start the way we did with two thirds. We had two good starts, good speed and very clean manoeuvres. It was a one sided track and from good starts we could make the early tack.” Weiler contends.
Dutch owner driver Pieter Heerema and his No Way Back crew, led by Terry Hutchinson working with Italian Michele Ivaldi as navigator-strategist, showed perfect risk management coupled to strong starting and solid tactics to land a sixth and a second to hold third position after Day 1 of the five day world championship.
“A six and a two is a bit ahead of expectations. Everybody know this is quite a right hand track. Today, the first day, we are low risk, we started near the middle of the line both times and got two very good starts. The boat is going well, it is fast upwind and downwind and so we managed to pull out two good races. I think we are going to see a very light gradient all week long.” Summarised navigator Ivaldi.
Rolex TP52 World Championship Porto Cervo 2026 Provisional Standings
1. Sled, Takashi Okura, 5+1 = 6
2. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft Family, 3+3 = 6
3. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 6+2 = 8
4. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 1+9 = 10
5. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 4+6 = 10
6. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 2+14 = 16
7. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim, 9+7 = 16
8. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 13+4 = 17
9. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 7+11 = 18
10. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 8+10 = 18
11. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 11+8 = 19
12. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 15+5 = 20
13. Trinity (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 10+13 = 23
14. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 12+12 = 24
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 14+15 = 29
