The crew of the Quantum Racing celebrating the world title. Photo: Martínez Studio

Quantum Racing, with Ed Baird on the line, today crowned the world champion of the TP52 class by winning the 52 World Championship in Menorca waters. The ship of shipowner Doug DeVos thus won its fifth world title in the TP52 class after those achieved in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014. In the podium of Mahon he is accompanied by the Azzurra of Guillermo Parada, which defended the title of 2015 obtained in Puerto Portals, and the Protenzza of Andrew Beadsworth that repeats position as in the 2015 World Cup he also finished third. The award for the best non-professional shipowner in the Menorca World Cup has been for the Swedish Niklas Zennström when he was fourth with his Rán Racing sailboat.

Quantum extends his lead in the 2016 circuit of 52 SUPER SERIES and keeps his domain uncontestable with four wins in the four trials held to date. Mahon's pru4eba was both punctuable for the class circuit and also crowned the new world champion so it had 'double prize'. The triumphs in Scarlino, Porto Cervo, Puerto Portals and now in Mahón put Quantum in a very comfortable position to win the world's most important monocasque circuit championship. The last test of the calendar will be in four weeks' time in the waters of Cascais. In the championship general, Quantum takes 67 points to Azzurra in the absence of a single test. The italoArgentines will fight with Rán Racing, Providenza, Platoon and Bronenosec for the two remaining positions to be diluted on the podium of the season.

Quantum has been the best in the Mahon World Cup. No one has the slightest doubt of his domain. Although with the three victories of Azzurra on the two sleeves of Saturday and the first of today the World Cup was combied and the Italian-Argentine ship became only five points from the sailboat of Ed Baird with Terry Hutchinson to the tactic. The first manga today was excellent for the Azzurra that at this time of the season is meeting the best performance of its sailboat designed by Marcelino Botín. His first position in the manga and the fifth of Quantum Racing left him only five points to be surprised at Mahon, with a recovery that no one expected in half championship when Quantum had a solid advantage and Azzurra was unable to make solid results. The men of Parada have shown that with the strong winds that have been in Mahon in the last days, yesterday again he blew the tramontana with intensities ranging from 15 to 20 knots, they have been the best in the control of the sailboat and of the maneuvers.

Everything in the end had to be decided on the last sleeve of the competition. The departure of this test was only 15 minutes before 3: 00 p.m., which was the last time the Regatas Committee could take out today. Once the starting signal was given the strong control that Quantum exercised over Azzurra, which made those of Parada always have to sail with dirty winds and have to do many bordos which was delaying them in their sleeve until it passed penultimate in the first barlovent beacon. Quantum had done his job that it was simply in this last manga that it was not to allow the Italians to cross between them five ships and to subtract them the five points that separated them in the general.
The final manga of the excellent world of Menorca was won by Paul Cayard's Phoenix with the Alegre of the American shipowner and cane Andrés Soriano in second position. The American sailboat premiered at 52 SUPER SERIES in the 52 World Championship and has gone from less to more as shown in a brilliant win achieved in the manga that closed the world championship of the TP52 class.

Terry Hutchinson, tactic of the Quantum Racing:
"We have to give a lot of credit to Azzurra who has been pushing to the end with those three wins in a row and has made things very complicated. I am very happy how the team has responded to this pressure more in view of the mistakes we made on Saturday. We've recovered very well. Five world titles the first we won in Lanzarote was amazing and this is also one of the most exciting. I've won two world titles in two weeks, but I don't have a second to relax because I have a new race this week and we already have to be thinking about Cascais and finish the 52 SUPER SERIES circuit as hard as possible."

Guillermo Parada, Rae del Azzurra, expressed:
"I think it's been a good championship for us. We won the first race of the day and kept the uncertainty. In the last test we decided to go out through the pin that was delayed two slices. He didn't allow us to cross with the fleet in the position we wanted and Quantum could control us very well. Unfortunately in the last stern we saw an option to put Quantum in a well and in the end we fell and lost some important points for the circuit. Quantum deserved to win was more consistent. We win five sleeves, improve speed and give us a lot of morale to go to Cascais. Menorca has been a fantastic world. Menorca is an exceptional island. The race field has proved to be a challenge for the crews in terms of roles, wind, direction, wave, flat sea, everyone has enjoyed it and I hope we will return here next year..."

Joan Fullana, the Protenzza's bow explained:
"The last race we have been able to recover the points that Rán had put us in the first of today after the off-line. It's been a shame not to fight for second place, but third parties are not bad. This year we have been all the races among the top five and in the total general I think we are going third or fourth and must be taken into account. In Cascais we want to end up on the podium, but I wish we could win because what I want most is to win a circuit test..."

Final ranking of the 52 World Championship Menorca 2016
1. Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) (2,1,1,1,1,3,2, BFG13,5,5) 35sts
2. Azzurra, ITA (Pablo / Alberto Roemmers ARG) (1,10,7,7,7,7,1,1,1,10) 45sts
3. Provides, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,7,3,4,3,3,7,10,3) 50sts
4. Rán Racing, SWE (Niklas Zennström SWE) (9,2,2,10,2,2,10,6,6) 51sts
5. Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) (8,8,9,11,3,4,4,4,4,4,8) 65sts
6. Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) (5,3,5,7,12,8,4,9,7,7) 67sts
7. Alegre, GBR (Andrés Soriano USA) (7,5,6,8,9,12,6,8,8,2) 68sts
8. Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) (4,4,10,4,8,11,11,12,4) 77sts
9. Phoenix, USA (Richard Cohen USA) (10,9,11,5,10,10, BFG13,3,6,1) 78sts
10. Sled, USA (Takashi Okura USA) (11,11,12,3,7,8,8,4,12) 79sts
11. Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithuenin FRA) (3, DNF / 13,8,9,5,11,10,9,9) 82sts
12. GBR sorcha (Peter Harrison GBR) (12,6,4,12,11,6,5,8,11,11) 86sts

Circuit classification 52 SUPER SERIES after 4 races:
1. Quantum Racing, 113 points.
2. Azzurra, 180 points.
3. Rán Racing, 191 points.
4. Provides 196 points.
5. Platoon, 207 points.
6. Bronenosec Gazprom, 210 points.
7. Joy, 225 points.
8. Sled, 232 points.
9. Gladiator, 283 points.
10. XIO Hurakan, 362 points.
11. Paprec Recyclage, 364.2 points.

Day 4 - Emotion to the end in the 52 World Championship in Menorcan waters (17 / 09 / 2016)

The Azzurra will try to win the TP52 World Cup to the end. Photo: Martínez Studio

The 52 World Championship will maintain the excitement until the end of tomorrow. Today's two Azzurra triumphs and Quantum's disqualification in the second manga have spicy the 52 SUPER SERIES Menorca World Cup. Now Azzurra reduces its disadvantage over the American ship to nine points pending the last two sleeves to be held tomorrow. Third is the Providenza that has opened distance with the Rán Racing in the fight for the last place in the drawer.

It has been an extraordinary day of sailing in Menorca and loaded with strong emotions. Again, the first manga was given with a south wind and the second with the tramontana as it happened yesterday. The wind rolled today almost 180 degrees as the first exit was with a 235 wind while the second was a 040. In both the emotion was great and the alternatives for tactics were varied. In addition, due to the time and the desire of the teams in the struggle for the General of the World Cup, the Regatas Committee led by María Torrijo decided in the two sleeves, after a general call was made in the first intona of both, to remove the black flag for the second exit. This represents that the boat that skipped the game is removed from the sleeve. In the first race of the day it was Paul Cayard's Phoenix that fell into the mistake of leaving before the hour. The second was the Quantum Racing. The two most laureate patterns of the fleet, Cayard and Baird, were the negative protagonists of the day. Even the best scribe makes a blur.

After returning to the ground before the rest of the Quantum put a protest to the Committee that was rejected by the jury of the competition for what the result of the sea was reflected in the final classifications of the test. The rest of the fleet again made an exit for the second sleeve so at the end of the day for the two tests it took up to five different exit procedures.

Who did not make a single macula was the Azzurra of Guillermo Parada. The Argentine master and his crew had the perfect day with two first positions. And it wasn't first two by chance, no. They were two first of the post, of the dominant team, of the team that last year was proclaimed champion of the circuit of 52 SUPER SERIES and also of the World Cup of Puerto Portals. Azzurra made the most complete day of the season with two authentic exhibitions of ship control, tactic and teamwork. You can't ask them any more. The day went round.

Guillermo Parada, cane of Azzurra, held:
"It's been a good day. It's good to remember what it's like to win races, we need to keep working on consistency. The ship is fast again and we have recovered the ability to make things right and to win races. But we have to continue to work for not having so many ups and downs that have been so expensive for us throughout this season."

Víctor Mariño, Runner del Platoon, expressed:
"A complicated day, with many wind changes. A lot of water and wave, it's all been very complicated. The big ones are still ahead and for the rest it's very difficult. We have not been very successful today, but all have ups and downs. See what happens tomorrow, but today is complicated. The black flags are for everyone and we all know it. It's okay because with so many general calls, something has to be done because we don't move forward. The one who takes the risk is the one who pays it. Everyone is at risk, but what may have happened is that Cayard and Baird, when they have more experience, also take more risks. We have been complicated in the third place in the general, but we will continue to fight to do it well in Cascais and also to continue to fight for being third in the general championship that that is a very important goal for us this season."

Collection of garbage with the children of the School of Sailing
A 20-year-old youth from the Mahon Maritime Club School of Sailing were in Cala Teulera today collecting garbage along with the sustainability team of 52 SUPER SERIES. The activity is part of the environmental awareness work that the race does with its collaborator 11th Hour Racing.

The kids were for almost an hour collecting plastics and glass from the Menorca cove and were made with more than 30 kilos of garbage. The kids were explained as they collected the offal that, for example, a supermarket bag takes twenty years to disappear or a baby diaper that can take up to 150 years to be absorbed by nature. Then the children were in the pants watching the ships the circuit of 52 SUPER SERIES and then went out to sea to witness the first race.

52 World Championship Classification
1 Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) (2,1,1,1,1,3,2, BFG13) 25sts
2 Azzurra, ITA (Pablo / Alberto Roemmers ARG) (1,10,7,1,6,7,1,1) 34sts
3 Provides, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,7,3,6,4,1,3,7) 37sts
4 Rán Racing, SWE (Niklas Zennström SWE) (9,2,2,10,2,10,6) 43sts
5 Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) (5,3,5,7,12,8,4,9) 53sts
6 Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) (8,8,9,11,3,4,7,4) 54sts
7 Alegre, GBR (Andy Soriano USA) (7,5,6,8,9,12,6,5) 58sts
8 Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) (4,4,10,4,8,11,9,11) 61sts
9 Sled, USA (Takashi Okura USA) (11,11,12,3,7,8,2) 63sts
10 Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithuenin FRA) (3, DNF / 13,8,9,5,11,10) 64sts
11 GBR sorcha (Peter Harrison GBR) (12,6,4,12,11,6,5,8) 64sts
12 Phoenix, USA (Richard Cohen USA) (10,9,11,5,10,10, BFG13.3) 71sts

Day 2 - "Quantum Racing" dominates the 52 World Championship in Mahon waters (16 / 08 / 2016)

The Turkish Providenza has been the protagonist of today's TP52 World Day. Photo: Martínez Studio

The Protenzza today joined the party of the best in the 52 World Championship that is disputed in the waters of Menorca. The ship of the Turkish shipowner Ergin Imre made a fourth and a first to place second in the general of 52 SUPER SERIES unlocking from that position the Azzurra and the Rán Racing. Quantum sums up and goes on. He won the first manga and achieved a third, paradoxically his worst result in Mahon, in the second that was fought with the wind of tramontana.

Provizza is one of the few teams that has not stained your dots locker with a double digit. The ship, with the Majorcan bow Joan Fullana and Nacho Postigo as a navigator, was making a solid World Cup, without ups and downs. But today, it's gone. His victory in the sixth manga exposes him and 'under suspicion' that he is going for the podium. A drawer he already achieved last year when he was third in Puerto Portals. Today he has run for the two missing days for a place on Sunday's Olympus at the Mahono Maritime Club.

Provizza is a project that has been working very well the last seasons. The shipowner makes no effort to give its crew the best and among what they have is the sailboat, designed by Rolf Vrolijk and which always shows its best performance with high wind. And today in Menorca the wind has been presented in two different variants, first a south-west of 16 knots and then a tramontana of almost twenty knots that has made the sailboats plan in the very fast soups.

Provizza won the second manga with an exhibition of driving skill with strong winds. They went out very well and fought with Quantum and Rán for reaching the first barlovent buoy. When they did, they no longer released the prey, the coveted victory that in Mahon had only achieved Azzurra and Quantum. The other winner of the day was Rán Racing with two seconds on. And we also have to mention the substantial improvement of the Bronenosec by Vladimir Liubomirov that with a third and a fourth he raised two posts in the general.

The wind has taken a radical turn (the first output has been given with the wind of 240 and the second with the wind of 340) but it has also served to consolidate Menorca as a special place to regatta. In both cases the races have been excellent and competitive because of the fantastic conditions offered by the race field. The wind changes have caused the day to be much longer than normal with almost five hours of competition which has left the teams exhausted.

Victory of Quantum.
In today's first test, the team led by Ed Baird and Terry Hutchinson, as usual, came out of the fleet center without taking too much risk. They don't have to. It is enough for them to find their space in the race field and go sailing through the clean area. The speed of the sailboat and the crew's expertise do the rest. By the time the time of the crosses comes, when everyone takes cakes for an inch, they already have a comfortable position. That happened today. Exactly. While the others were being flattered, they sailed fast and clean to the barlovent buoy. It is like there are two races: that of the celestial, they, and that of the mortals, the other eleven. One race is platid, the other one is knife.
When Quantum had already finished his sleeve this time with Ran quite close, then the show of arrival with the other ten ships was presented fighting for the final inch. So adjusted was the arrival of the platoon that Sorcha and Platoon had to penalize after they had already crossed the finish line. For the German ship of Harm Müller Spreer it can come out very expensive the 12 that was marked in this sleeve in the fight for one of the positions in the drawer.

The first race of the day was given half an hour late as there was a wind roll right at the time of departure.
The second manga was then released and it was the Sorcha who surprised everyone with his first place in the barlovento buoy. The English ship Peter Harrison gave himself his particular bath of glory, the one Quantum is so used to, until a wind roll threw the race into the frost. It was unthinkable to continue with a test in which the wind had changed direction over a hundred degrees in a few seconds. What was a stern was becoming dyed, so Maria Torrijo, the head of the Regatas Committee, decided to abort the test and wait for the wind to settle this time already from the north, with the famous Tramontana of Menorca.

Ed Baird, quantum racing cane:
"It's being a dream race. Everything that Terry Hutchinson said was going to happen in these first three days has happened, so the others just have to worry about taking the boat as best as possible. Unfortunately, we had a break in the second manga on the bow pulpit and Ran was able to get ahead of us in the clutch. However, Terry's tactic and the boys' teamwork have been fantastic. It's working very well. What we always do in Quantum is say the next day we'll do a little better. No matter if the day has been good or bad, our mentalization is that the next day will be better."

STATEMENT

Joan Fullana, the Majorcan bow of the Providenza:
"The truth is that in the first we have had a little luck in being able to avoid the mess that has been formed. We've been rooms. In the second we have been very good, we have been first from the beginning and everything has worked very well. We're where we are, but we want to be as high as possible. We'd like to be with Quantum fighting, but we're happy in podium places. You don't know about the cancellation until it doesn't happen, but we knew the part was saying the wind was going to be tramontana. With the tramontana we have been doing much better, although in which it has been cancelled we were also in front positions."

Pedro Mas, bow of the Platoon:
"On the arrival of the first manga they have penalized us and has hurt us very much. The decision has been quite debatable, but we can't do anything. In the second race we have made a good way out, although at the end of the first round we have lost time in the arrival of buoy with a bad maneuver and have repented us. From there, what we have done has been to try to get back to the head group. In which it has been cancelled we were almost first with what has definitely not been our day." As for the cancelled race, he explained: "You keep sailing the same way until it's cancelled, but I had all the numbers that happened. It was a very big cloud and it has rolled a lot for what to cancel. The tramontana has brought more wind and wave. There's no problem with the wind here, we've sailed with south and north. Tomorrow it is expected north-east and with more sea and less wind than we have had today."

Classifications of the 52 World Championship 1. Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) (2,1,1,2,1.3) 10sts 2. Provides, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,7,3,6,4,1) 27sts 3. Rán Racing, SWE (Niklas Zennström SWE) (9,2,2,10,2,2) 27sts 4. Azzurra, ITA (Pablo / Alberto Roemmers ARG) (1,10,7,1,6,7) 32sts 5. Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) (5,3,5,7,12,8) 40sts 6. Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) (4.4.10.4.8.11) 41sts 7. Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) (8,8,9,11,4) 43sts 8. Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithuenin FRA) (3, DNF / 13,8,9,5,5) 43sts 9. Alegre, GBR (Andy Soriano USA) (7,5,6,8,9,12) 47sts 10. GBR sorcha (Peter Harrison GBR) (12,6,4,12,11,6) 51sts
11. Sled, USA (Takashi Okura USA) (11,11,12,3,7,9) 53sts
12. Phoenix, USA (Richard Cohen USA) (10,9,11,5,10,10) 55sts