The fifth and final day of the Royal Cup followed the dynamic of the 52 SUPER SERIES: excitement until the last tack. The Puerto Calero race course presented significantly milder conditions than the previous session but with similar instability and more waves, ingredients that marked the two races disputed. The fleet went out on the water, welcoming back Sled, which after having to retire from the last race of the previous day due to problems with its forestay, rejoined thanks to the excellent work of its shore team. In the provisional standings after four days, Platoon Aviation led with a 16-point lead over Provezza and 19 over Crioula.
Champion on the penultimate day
The initial race started with a black flag for Crioula, which put its podium position at risk. Platoon Aviation took the lead, sailing down the middle of the course, and only Alkedo Cetilar managed to challenge it, slipping ahead at the first mark rounding. The German boat regained the lead at the start of the downwind leg, and Alpha+ also overtook Alkedo Cetilar, establishing an order that would be maintained at the finish line after exciting pressure from the Hong Kong team in the final meters. Platoon Aviation's victory mathematically confirmed the Royal Cup for the team, which faced the last race thinking only about the circuit's overall standings.
Madness for the podium
The last race of the championship was set up as a battle for the two remaining podium spots. Vayu committed a black flag, while at the front, Sled quickly took the lead. Penalties halfway through the course sent Provezza and Platoon Aviation to the back of the pack, while Crioula began to dream of second place in the Royal Cup. The final stretch of the week unleashed madness for the podium, which changed hands between Provezza, Trinity Racing, and Crioula. The Brazilian team finished fourth in a photo finish with Trinity Racing and looked back to see how Provezza's last place allowed them to secure a magnificent second overall. The race was won by Alkedo Cetilar, the best boat of the day (4+1), ahead of Sled and No Way Back.
Platoon Aviation expands its legend
The victory in Puerto Calero means the third Royal Cup for the Platoon Aviation trophy cabinet, champions also in 2023 and 2024. The German team has the most extensive record in the 2026 fleet, which includes three world championships (2017, 2019, and 2023) and one absolute title (2023). Harm Müller-Spreer was also proclaimed winner of the owner-helmsman category. Competing aboard Platoon Aviation were Cantabrian trimmer Javier de la Plaza, Mallorcan tactician Jordi Calafat, Catalan navigator Juan Vila, and Galician mainsail trimmer Víctor Mariño, who summarized:
“In the last race we got into more trouble than the rest of the week, we wasted an opportunity to have come out with more points of advantage and more comfort for the final in Valencia: 11 points is nothing. The two events on these wonderful islands have been very positive: in the first, if it weren't for the many breakage problems we suffered, we could have won, we felt strong. And I think that in this event we were able to show that the boat has improved a lot, that the team is strong. The boat is going well, and now the season is in our hands”.
Second in Puerto Calero, 25 points behind the champion, was Crioula, confirming the first podium for the team of brothers Eduardo and Renato Plass since their arrival on the circuit in 2024. Renato was enthusiastic about the result: “Finally! After bad starts, bad days,... in all the races we started from the back of the fleet, but we never gave up. Finishing second is incredible. I think the key is that we like the wind, in southern Brazil we sail a lot in these conditions. And we have been sailing together for a long time”.
One point behind the Brazilian team, Provezza of Ergin Imre closed the podium. Cantabrian Nacho Postigo, navigator for the Turkish team, explained: “Well, it's a shame, because we were well prepared and I can't really tell you why, yesterday and today we have had bad results. Today the penalties weighed heavily on us, in the last race we started where we wanted and to the left, which was the favored side all week, we made Crioula tack and they had to go to the opposite side, but they went to the extreme right and we ended up behind. Anyway... One of those days when everything goes wrong. But after two events in Lanzarote, I'll tell you that I had never raced in the Canary Islands in the summer, and it has been fantastic”.
New circuit leader
Platoon Aviation arrived at Puerto Calero in second position in the provisional circuit standings and 17 points behind the powerful Sled. The German team managed to neutralize that disadvantage in three days, and managed to reverse the situation, leading their arch-rival by 18 points at the end of the ninth race of the week. But a stumble in the last race, with their worst result of the week (ninth), ruined part of the great work done in the nine previous races. The champion leaves Lanzarote with an 11-point lead over Sled in the overall 52 SUPER SERIES 2026 standings.
The final awards ceremony included a respectful tribute to José Cusí, owner of Bribon; King Harald of Norway, a former competitor in the TP52 class and one of the figures behind the birth of the Royal Cup; and Carlo Borlenghi, the unforgettable nautical photographer.
The grand finale, in Valencia
After competing in the first two events of the circuit in the Canary Islands, the fleet returns to the Mediterranean for the season's grand finale. The Valencia 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week will be held from October 5th to 10th, based at the spectacular Veles e Vents. The debut of the American-flagged Katana will bring the fleet to 16 teams from 11 nationalities, the largest participation in the history of the 52 SUPER SERIES.
The competition will be broadcast live on the official 52 SUPER SERIES platforms in English and Spanish.
Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup Standings
1. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 6+2+6+1+2+2+1+4+1+9 = 34
2. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo and Renato Plass, 7+4+4+6+11+4+4+3+12+4 = 59
3. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 1+7+2+5+1+10+5+9+8+12 = 60
4. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 10+6+3+7+6+3+10+5+6+5 = 61
5. Sled, Takashi Okura, 4+10+5+11+5+1+2+13(DNF)+9+2 = 62
6. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft family, 2+3+9+3+8+8+11+10+4+8 = 66
7. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 8+5+12+2+12+11+3+6+7+3 = 69
8. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang, 11+1+8+10+7+6+12+7+2+6 = 70
9. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 9+11+1+4+9+12+8+1+5+11 = 71
10. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 3+12+7+8+10+7+6+2+11+10 = 76
11. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 5+8+11+9+4+5+9+8+10+7 = 76
12. Alkedo Cetilar (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 12+9+10+12+3+9+7+11+3+1 = 77
13. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS)+13(DNS)+14(DNS)+14(DNS) = 139
Provisional Standings 52 SUPER SERIES 2026
1. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 51+53+33+34 = 171
2. Sled, Takashi Okura, 42+47+31+62 = 182
3. Alkedo Cetilar (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 58+56+26+77 = 217
4. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 72+61+24+71 = 228
5. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 73+49+46+61 = 229
6. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 52+69+44+69 = 234
7. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 67+55+48+70 = 240
8. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 56+71+62+60 = 249
9. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 59+76+66+59 = 260
10. Vayu (THA), familia Whitcraft, 86+73+55+66 = 280
11. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 90+72+50+76 = 288
12. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 59+88+89+76 = 312
13. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 83+82+69+111+139 = 373
14. Caballo Loco (BRA), 100+102+98+140 = 440
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 135+126+98+140 = 499
16. Katana (USA), John Huhn,135+144+98+140 = 517
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