The final regatta of the 2025 52 SUPER SERIES in Porto Cervo is moving towards its decisive stages with a clear storyline emerging. American Magic Quantum Racing retains such a strong advantage that it is hard to imagine the overall title slipping away, yet the focus has shifted to the battle for the remaining podium places and how teams adapt to the demanding Sardinian conditions at the close of the season.
Takashi Okura’s Sled has been the main beneficiary of the opening two days. A fourth and a second on the first day, followed by a commanding victory in mistral winds of more than twenty five knots, have allowed the American team to strengthen their claim to the runner up position. With only seven points in Porto Cervo so far and consistency well above their closest rivals, Sled have established themselves firmly in second overall, with a safe margin over those chasing third place.
Okura’s crew have looked composed on a challenging racecourse, combining the tactical expertise of Francesco Bruni and the strategic input of Murray Jones with the owner’s assured steering. Mainsail trimmer and project manager Don Cowie summarised the approach after the day dominated by mistral conditions: “Porto Cervo has been good to us before, but there is still a long way to go in the championship. We reminded ourselves today that to finish first, you first have to finish. It was a hard day, gusts above twenty five knots, but the boat responded well and so did the team.”
Circuit leaders American Magic Quantum Racing, winners in Saint Tropez, Newport and Puerto Portals, endured a modest start to their week in Sardinia. The return of Doug DeVos to the helm did not immediately deliver results, with tenth and eighth on the first day, though a second in the mistral race gave the team a small lift. Even so, the advantage they brought into Porto Cervo was so large that their title remains virtually safe. They now sit on 151 points, compared to Sled’s 179, a cushion of 28 points with only a handful of races to come. The task for American Magic is less about survival and more about restoring the authority that has characterised their season.
The real uncertainty lies in the contest for third overall. France’s Paprec, skippered by Jean Luc Petithuguenin, stands on 214.5 points after two days, while Italy’s Alkedo Vitamina of Andrea Lacorte follows on 220. Only five points separate the two, ensuring that every start and every manoeuvre could prove decisive. Paprec, bolstered by the addition of Tom Slingsby, Will Ryan and Kyle Langford, has shown flashes of speed and cohesion, while Alkedo, impressive earlier in the season, has found the stronger winds more challenging.
Behind them, Platoon Aviation still holds an outside chance of the podium. Damage in a collision with Gladiator on the opening day forced them to retire, but redress from the jury has kept them within reach. With 225 points, Harm Müller-Spreer’s team would need a perfect finish combined with mistakes from their rivals, but the opportunity remains alive.
The mistral shaped the second day in Porto Cervo, providing winds of more than twenty five knots and forcing the race committee to shorten the programme. Alegre led early before being overhauled by Sled and then American Magic, finishing third ahead of a fast closing Paprec. The conditions showcased the spectacle of TP52s surfing downwind at over twenty knots, but also reminded crews of the fine line between control and error.
After two days the leaderboard reflects a championship nearly settled at the top, with American Magic all but assured of the overall crown. Sled has underlined their consistency to occupy second with confidence, leaving Paprec, Alkedo and Platoon to contest the final step of the podium. The remaining races in the Costa Smeralda promise to resolve the battle, with mistral winds and a demanding racecourse ensuring the 2025 season ends with the same intensity that has defined it throughout.
