Royal Cup Looms as 52 Super Series Returns to Lanzarote

24th August 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Royal Rumble – The 52 Super Series fleet lines up for racing in Lanzarote ahead of the Puerto Calero Royal Cup

Royal Rumble – Thirteen TP52 teams return to Lanzarote for the Puerto Calero 52 Super Series Royal Cup Credit: Nico Martinez

Thirteen TP52 teams return to racing in Lanzarote on Tuesday, August 25th, for the Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 Super Series Royal Cup, with championship leader Sled carrying a 17-point advantage into the fourth regatta of the five-event season.

The five-day series runs until Saturday, August 29th, and follows last month's Marina Rubicon Lanzarote Sailing Week, where Jean-Luc Petithuguenin's Paprec secured its first 52 Super Series regatta victory since joining the circuit in 2012.

The result offers encouragement to teams still seeking their first event win, including Shawn and Tina Kang's Alpha Plus, Andy Soriano's Alegre and Andrea Lacorte's Alkedo.

Sled Holds 17-Point Advantage

Takashi Okura's Sled leads the overall championship after winning the opening two regattas of the season, including the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Porto Cervo. But the American-flagged team surrendered ground at Marina Rubicon after collecting 18 points from its final two races.

Italian tactician Francesco Bruni said the mistakes which proved costly at the previous regatta would not change the team's approach or established processes.

Sled's closest challenger is Harm Müller-Spreer's German-flagged Platoon Aviation, which starts the week 17 points behind the leader.

Platoon Targets Fourth Royal Cup

Platoon Aviation has the strongest Royal Cup record among the current fleet, winning the trophy in Menorca in 2021 and 2023 and again in Valencia in 2024.

The Royal Cup was originally presented to the IMS 50 class in 1995 by King Harald of Norway together with Italy's Pasquale Landolfi, Germany's Willi Illbruck and Greece's Yannis Kostopoulos.

Three-time world champion Müller-Spreer, who won the overall 52 Super Series title in 2023, will be seeking both another Royal Cup success and a reduction in Sled's championship advantage.

Gladiator Returns After Repairs

The British Gladiator team is also due back on the start line after a race against time to repair damage sustained when its forestay hanger failed during the Marina Rubicon regatta.

Damage to the carbon structure around the fitting forced Gladiator to withdraw after only two races.

Puerto Calero is a more familiar venue for many of the fleet than Marina Rubicon, 20 miles to the west, although the regular summer trade winds are expected to provide another testing Lanzarote programme.

The Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 Super Series Royal Cup runs from Tuesday, August 25th to Saturday, August 29th, before the 2026 championship concludes in Valencia in early October.

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About the TP52 Racing Yacht

The TP52 racing yacht is a remarkable example of cutting-edge technology in the world of competitive yachting. Measuring 52 feet (15.85 metres) in length, this vessel is constructed entirely from carbon fibre, making it an incredibly light and agile craft.

The TP52 features a 6.25-metre high rig, complete with a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker and a self-tacking jib. This design reduces the workload of the crew, allowing for more efficient manoeuvres and freeing up the crew to focus on the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The spinnaker rigging set-up, measuring 15.00 m2, presents a challenge to even the most experienced crews, requiring them to be fit and perfectly coordinated. Maneuvering the boat requires athleticism due to the vessel's lack of inherent stability and the high speed generated by the fully battened mainsail and jib.

The TP52's hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout, resulting in a weight of just 74kg. The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is made up of three parts, featuring an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease overall weight. The capsizing moment, which can be generated by a heavy mast tip, is also reduced through this design. The TP52's foils are constructed from either aluminium or fibreglass, depending on the specific requirements of the vessel.

Overall, the TP52 racing yacht is an exceptional example of the latest advancements in yacht design and technology. Its lightweight construction, advanced rigging, and high-speed capabilities make it a top contender in the world of competitive yachting, challenging even the most skilled and experienced crews.