The first visit of the 52 SUPER SERIES to the Canary Islands was resolved in a great final session of two legs that capped off a week of pure spectacle. After a day off due to excessive wind, the race course returned to navigable conditions, albeit with an unstable breeze of 16 to 24 knots and a choppy sea that would cause constant changes at the front of the provisional standings. Sled went out on the water to try to defend a four-point lead over Paprec and five over Alkedo Vitamina after four days and five partial races. The third title of the season was to be literally resolved in the final stretch of the last race of an exceptional championship.
Tie at the top
In the first race, Sled led the initial leg, followed by No Way Back and Platoon Aviation. Harm Müller-Spreer's team took advantage of a fantastic downwind run to take the lead and not look back, while Sled had to penalize itself at the buoy mark due to an incident with Paprec. In the third leg, the provisional standings showed Paprec and Alkedo Vitamina at the front at times, and the circuit leader languished in an unusual eleventh position. Platoon Aviation recorded a magnificent victory in a final duel with No Way Back, with a great third place for Alkedo Vitamina. Paprec's fifth place and Sled's comeback to eighth allowed Takashi Okura's team to remain at the top of the provisional standings heading into the final encounter, now tied with the Italians and one point ahead of the French.
Maximum excitement
The final began with a general recall, the result of a combination of nervousness among the fleet and a current pushing the boats towards the line. On the good start, Platoon Aviation, Provezza, Teasing Machine, and Alkedo Vitamina were over the line, but time would show that this was not their end. In the leading group, Sled began by doing what was necessary to achieve their third event of the season, but the wind smiled on the teams that bet on the right and Paprec began to dream, rounding the mark fourth and just ahead of Sled, which equalized the standings. After an intense third leg, Paprec faced the last mark rounding in second place, behind the spectacular comeback of Platoon Aviation, watching Sled's position and with a calculator in hand. A mistake by Takashi Okura's team burdened them with a new penalty that opened the door to Paprec's feat. Platoon Aviation secured their well-deserved second victory of the day, followed by No Way Back and the French team. Sled was tenth. Paprec confirmed their dream.
History
Paprec's first victory in the 52 SUPER SERIES comes just one year after the best result of Jean-Luc Petithuguenin's team, which fell one point short of the world crown on a dramatic final day of the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais. Led by ocean legend Loïck Peyron, skipper Stephane Névé, and helmsman Cedric Chateau, and reinforced at this event by navigator Yoann Richomme, they had never managed to win an event despite being one of the longest-standing teams in the 52 SUPER SERIES.
An emotional Jean-Luc Petithuguenin explained upon returning to Marina Rubicón: “I have been waiting 17 years to win a TP52 race and I am very happy. You can't imagine. I started with nothing, with my family 30 years ago, on my first race with Stéphane Névé in Brest. So for me, this is something incredible: a small French team from French Brittany has been able to win, to beat all these rivals, at the highest level of world sailing. It's amazing. I am very happy. And you know it's going to be very difficult for me, because I promised that when I return to Lanzarote, I will bring a container of champagne, and there will be champagne for everyone.”
Second, and winner of the skipper-helmsman title, was Alkedo Vitamina, with Pablo Torrado on board. The Vigo native highlighted the result for Lacorte: “Andrea’s performance must be recognized in a week that, if it has been extremely tough for the professionals, with 25-knot winds, imagine being an amateur. It must be remembered that he is a businessman who comes to compete, he gives his all, and he manages to beat the professionals. You can’t ask for more. We just missed those final 20 meters to overtake Paprec and win the event. But, without a doubt, the objective has been achieved.”
Víctor Mariño, from Platoon Aviation, highlighted the importance of their excellent final day: “It is always an achievement to win races in this fleet, and it is also a way to make up for the problems we had throughout the week. Fortunately, we haven’t lost many points compared to Sled in the overall circuit standings. It’s been a while since we sailed in these conditions, the boat is doing well, and we have gained confidence for Puerto Calero.”
The awards ceremony was attended by Juan Monzón, Sports Councilor of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, and María Martín, head of Lanzarote Sports Destination (SPEL-Turismo Lanzarote).
Sled remains at the top
With the results of the first three events of the season added up, Sled continues at the top of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2026, now with 17 points over Platoon Aviation and 20 over Alkedo Vitamina. The victory allows Paprec to move up from eighth position, which they held coming into Lanzarote, to fourth, 17 points behind the provisional podium.
From Marina Rubicón, the fleet now heads to Puerto Calero, where from August 24th to 29th they will compete in the fourth event of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2026, the Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup. The competition will be broadcast live on the official 52 SUPER SERIES platforms in English and Spanish.
Marina Rubicón Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week Standings
1. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 2+1+1+4+9+5+2 = 24
2. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 7+3+3+3+2+3+5 = 26
3. Sled, Takashi Okura, 1+2+6+1+3+8+10 = 31
4. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 6+5+9+6+5+1+1 = 33
5. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 5+7+5+9+7+2+9 = 44
6. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 12+4+10+8+1+7+4 = 46
7. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn y Tina Kang, 3+8+2+2+8+12+14(DNF) = 49
8. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 4+9+8+10+4+4+11 = 50
9. Vayu (THA), familia Whitcraft, 9+6+11+5+12+6+6 = 55
10. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 11+12+4+7+10+10+8 = 62
11. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo y Renato Plass, 14(DNS)+11+7+11+11+9+3 = 66
12. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 10+10+14(DNF)+12+6+11+7 = 70
13. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 8+13+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS) = 91
Provisional Classification 52 SUPER SERIES 2026
1. Sled, Takashi Okura, 42+47+31 = 120 points
2. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 51+53+33 = 137
3. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 58+56+26 = 140
4. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 72+61+24 = 157
5. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 52+69+44 = 165
6. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 73+49+46 = 168
7. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 67+55+49 = 171
8. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 56+71+62 = 189
9. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 59+76+66 = 201
10. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 90+72+50 = 212
11. Vayu (THA), familia Whitcraft, 86+73+55 = 214
12. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 83+82+70 = 235
13. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 59+88+91 = 238
14. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim, 100+102+98 = 300
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 135+126+98 = 359
16. Katana (USA), John Huhn,125+144+98 = 377