Fifteen TP52s are currently battling it out at the TP52 World Championship, a record entry since the event was launched in 2012. With two French teams, Paprec and Teasing Machine, competing on the circuit, Sailorz takes a closer look at the reasons behind the success of the “little sister of the America’s Cup”.
In the turquoise waters of Porto Cervo, Sardinia, the action is every bit as spectacular as the setting. Since Monday, and through to Saturday 20 June’s grand finale, fifteen teams representing eleven different nationalities have been racing these powerful and complex monohulls, now regarded as the global benchmark for crewed inshore racing. Following an impressive start to the regatta, Paprec sits sixth overall on Friday afternoon, ten points behind the Hong Kong leader, Alpha+. Thanks to a strong fourth day on the water (7th and 5th), Teasing Machine has climbed to 12th place.
“The level of competition is incredibly close,” says Stéphane Névé, skipper of the TP52 Paprec, a 2018 Botin design featuring, among others, Loïck Peyron calling tactics. “The cards are reshuffled at every start. You can win one race and finish last in the next… Consistency is the hardest part: every race counts, and that changes everything. You have to perform all the time. That’s what makes the format so addictive!”
From four to fifteen boats in 14 years
Excellence with genuine opportunity for everyone: that is the formula attracting more and more owners to the 52 Super Series, launched in 2012 following the demise of the Audi MedCup. The concept is simple: offer extremely high-performance boats, sophisticated enough to attract the world’s best sailors, while maintaining controlled costs and strong regulatory stability to protect investment, with the calendar spread across five events staged in premium destinations, primarily around the Mediterranean.
“We have become the world’s leading Grand Prix monohull circuit,” says Lars Böcking, Marketing Director of the 52 Super Series. “We have grown from four boats in 2012 to fifteen teams today. The boats are fast, demanding and physical, but without creating excessive workloads. It’s the ideal format for passionate owners, often highly experienced sailors at the peak of their sporting careers. Our priority has always been to satisfy them through flawless organisation, smooth logistics and exceptional venues.”
This governance model is undoubtedly one of the keys to the circuit’s success, with boat values ranging from €1.5 million to €4 million for the newest additions to the fleet. Major decisions are taken collectively by the owners, the class rule evolves slowly, and spending is tightly controlled, with limits on sail inventories, container sizes, logistics and team personnel. “Everything is designed to avoid an unchecked arms race,” explains Laurent Pagès, Team Manager of the second French entry, Teasing Machine, skippered by Eric de Turckheim, who joined the circuit in 2024.
“Of course, there are still budget differences. Today, it is difficult to be competitive with less than €1 million a year, while the biggest teams operate with budgets of €3.5-4 million for around sixty sailing days,” says Stéphane Névé of Paprec. “Team costs are the biggest factor. There is an extraordinary concentration of Olympic medallists, America’s Cup winners, Volvo Ocean Race winners and world champions, and talent comes at a price, even if we are nowhere near football levels. Some teams have as many as 30 people dedicated to the project. We are only 16, with amateur sailors who also have careers outside sailing, and yet we remain fully competitive on the water.”
“No one is untouchable”
“The owners, all genuine sailing enthusiasts with a deep understanding of the sport, have made some very smart decisions,” confirms Laurent Pagès of Teasing Machine – a 2017 Botin design purchased from the British team Gladiator. “The box rule has been frozen for several years. That provides stability and prevents boats from becoming obsolete. There is still room for limited development while ensuring true sporting fairness.”
“Today, the boats are so highly optimised that there is very little performance difference between them. Design developments now deliver only marginal gains; there is no longer any technological breakthrough capable of defining the hierarchy,” confirms German owner Harm Müller-Spreer, three-time 52 Super Series champion with Platoon Aviation, who commissioned a new Botin design in 2024. His crew includes Italian sailing legend Vasco Vascotto, a 25-time world champion, on tactics, former America’s Cup winner Juan Vila, and 1992 Olympic gold medallist Jordi Calafat. “Success comes from team cohesion and meticulous attention to every detail. There is room for anyone willing to surround themselves with great sailors and work hard.”
“Everyone is excellent, but no one is untouchable,” adds Stéphane Névé of Paprec, noting that the opening championship event in Puerto Portals in May featured eight different race winners across nine races. “At our first 52 World Championship in Palma in 2009, we took an absolute beating; there was probably a gap of three or four divisions between us and the front-runners. But by racing against the very best, we gradually raised our game and developed our skills. Last year, we finished third overall in the championship. I think every sailor on the circuit takes pride in that level of competitiveness.”
“Keeping the circuit fresh”
And the tougher the competition becomes, the more attractive the series grows. Today, the fleet includes British, Italian and Brazilian teams, as well as entries from Turkey, Thailand and Sweden. “It is virtually a sold-out circuit,” says Laurent Pagès of Teasing Machine. “We initially joined to improve our inshore racing skills, but we quickly got hooked. There were nine boats when we entered the circuit, then eleven, and now fifteen… And since the racecourse has not grown, the density on the water is incredible. It’s a boxing ring that we step into every day, with punches flying from start to finish. Make the slightest mistake and you are immediately pushed to the back of the pack. Everything comes down to precision, commitment, control and clarity of thought. With fifteen boats, the battle is just as intense for fifth, sixth or seventh place as it is for the podium positions, because every point matters in the overall standings.”
“The formula is truly brilliant,” confirms German owner Harm Müller-Spreer. “During the MedCup years, I quickly became frustrated because I felt I was mainly there to pay the bills without getting much enjoyment from it, and owners had very little say. The 52 Super Series is a completely different dynamic. The live media coverage encourages new teams to join us, which helps keep the circuit fresh and constantly evolving, creating a fantastic atmosphere ashore.”
“Our greatest reward is seeing happy sailors and smiling owners. The circuit is financially healthy, although we do not wish to disclose details of our business model and are actively working to strengthen our sponsorship offering,” says Lars Böcking, Marketing Director of the 52 Super Series. “Looking ahead, we want to continue listening to owners, refreshing the choice of venues and maintaining the highest standards. Our objective remains simple: to maintain a fleet of this size, or perhaps slightly larger, but without pursuing growth at any cost. We learned from the MedCup that an oversized fleet cannot satisfy everyone.”
Photo : Nico Martinez/52 Super Series
