The 2013 “52 SUPER SERIES” starts today with two scheduled races at Quantum Key West Race Week and if early indicators from the informal training races which have taken place over recent days are a yardstick then the established form teams might not have it all their own way.

With five days of windward-leeward racing planned, the six 52s from both sides of the Atlantic, should enjoy a good range of wind conditions. Naturally the teams would choose to dial up the best Key West conditions, sunshine with 15-18kts of breeze and a useful sea state each and every day, but forecasters anticipate light airs to provide a gentle opening to a 52 fleet season which spans nine months and six regattas, two in the USA and four in Europe. And although the training days have seen overcast skies, and humid daytime weather, sunshine is promised.

Reigning 52 SUPER SERIES champions Azzurra have made a key change to their afterguard, bringing in Croatian Tomislav Basic. That his big strength is match racing does not directly indicate that the team which represents the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda are anticipating regular duels with Quantum Racing – such as characterised so much of last season – insists fiery tactician Vasco Vascotto (ITA) but having his skills in their armoury is just another component in their drive to cover every base:

“We were looking for someone who could bring us that match racing experience” Vascotto emphasises, “We want to be relaxed and know we can do what we need to if we get into that match race situation. We have that strength in our pocket. It is about being prepared but not necessarily a signal we are going in that direction. We are ready to ensure we are not weak on that side. We dont want to be fighting like we did at the end of last season in Valencia, but we are ready”.

Quantum Racing (USA), who won their class here last year, have owner Doug DeVos steering here and at the World Championships in early March in Miami. Their long term goal is to win the 52 SuperSeries titles, but making sure DeVos, owner of the team and enthusiastic principal sponsor of the regatta, enjoys maximum satisfaction is part of the focus this week for skipper Ed Baird and the team:

“The objective is to have a week which we can look back on and say: that was really good, that was fun” Baird leads. “That is number one priority. If we won the event than that would be fabulous. But more importantly it is about just trying to get better every day and see where we end up.”

For each of the teams the drive is to maintain a high level of consistency from the very start of the season. Niklas Zennströms RÁN, which finished third overall in 2012 and Tony Langleys Gladiator have both taken different steps to enhance their challenge to the top two teams this season. Zennström says they are looking to simply cut down on the occasional but costly bad races, whilst Langley has made a fundamental change to the configuration of Gladiator. A new, deeper keel fin should get them on terms with the newest generation boats.

The American boats Interlodge (Austin Gwen Fragomen) and Rio (ex Synergy, Manouch Moshayedi) have already proven competitive in the tune up racing and both will be looking to repeat that when racing starts in earnest Monday:

Phip Halowell (USA), the upwind trimmer on Interlodge (USA), reports: “We have been racing together for a year now, and I think we are fast and our corners will be fine. But the starts will be tough, so we worked on that today to learn to shift gears for positioning off the line. These other teams are really good, they won’t make mistakes, so we have to make sure we can be at the same level.”

Main trimmer and boat captain Keith Kilpatrick says the Rio team is working hard to learn the boat, which was just delivered to them in November as ex-Synergy.

“We felt we had reached a performance peak with the last boat, so getting this new boat that is a sistership to Quantum will give us the chance to be on the same level as the others. But we have to learn this boat, so this will be important for us this week.”

Weather for the week will be a good Key West mixture: everything from light to fresh to challenge the teams assembled here. The regatta will likely start out very light and patchy Monday but then things improve for the rest of the week. Conditions will become fresh on Tuesday and into early Wednesday. During the day on Wednesday, moderating winds are expected, but still could be fresh in strength up to 20 knots on Thursday. Easing winds are expected for the finale Friday when the wind veers more into a trade wind pattern, but still moderate in strength.

All of the action from the 52 SUPER SERIES is broadcast on www.52SuperSeries.com with live tracking from Virtual Eye supplemented by live audio commentary.

Ed Reynolds (USA) project manager Quantum Racing (USA):
“Ed Baird will do tactics and Andy Horton will do strategy and just integrate Doug (DeVos, owner). For all the commitments he makes, everything he has done for this event and for 52 SuperSeries this is our chance to make sure he has some fun. That is a major priority, but of course we always want to win. Also we are working on a lot of new technology with the sails. We have some new fibres we are testing here, a number of new films and that is also a big focus for us, making sure the next evolution is validated.”

Vasco Vascotto, ITA, tactician Azzurra (ITA/ARG):
” It is great to have a couple of new boats here and we hope they will join us on the rest of the 52 SUPER SERIES. I feel like the class is going forwards again and I think that is important for the class. I have sailed here for 15 years which means I am getting old, but I have never won here. I think I have been second four times. Let us see how we sail here. We are really happy with how we are sailing. The crew work is going very well and what we have done in this last period we are very happy with.

We should see the breeze building through the week from the North, NNE, it will be a little shifty. We have learned that everybody can win here. Interlodge won one of the training races here. So we know that we are all mostly at the same level so anyone can win races here. And that is what is nice about this class. Pressure is about someone who has to go and work at 5 am, who makes 1000 a month and have three children to feed.”

Niklas Zennström (SWE) skipper-helm RÁN (SWE):
“We have had some good practice racing here. We have had a first and third in todays training races, so we are in good shape and this is a lovely place to sail. This is the third time we have been here. We were here last year with the Mini-Maxi and in 2008 with the Ran 1 (original TP52). We like it here, it is a good place to sail and a nice regatta.

It is great to be having six regattas this season. And it is nice to be starting here and it is great to have Interlodge and Rio here on the starting line. It also great to have mostly owner drivers competing here.”

Chris Larson (USA) tactician, Gladiator (USA):
“We have had four days of good practice, lots of starts, picking up where we left off last year. Having good consistent scores here, making sure you are not last or next to last here and can stay in the top half of the fleet, that is what I am looking for here. I have been here about 20 or 22 times. On the big boat course here, versus the other two, the current in the shipping channel goes out and so there is some tidal effect.
We have made some changes to the boat and it is pretty impressive. We feel good, even if we have not had a lot of stability sailing yet.

We feel like we can put the bow down a little more than we could before and sail a tenth of a knot or two faster for speed without losing VMG, which we could not do before with the old configuration. The newer boats can sail at a tenth or two faster and not lose VMG and we had to sail a high, slow VMG mode now we can put the bow down and compete and thats exciting for us.”

52 SUPER SERIES 2013 Regatta Calendar:
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* Quantum Key West Race Week, Key West, Florida, January 20 – 25, 5 days WL racing, dual scoring IRC & 52 Super Series.
* 52 World Championship, Miami, Florida, March 5 – 9, 5 days WL  racing.
* Trofeo Conde de Godo, Barcelona, May 23 – 26, 4 days WL  racing.
* Royal Cup Marina Ibiza, Ibiza, July 2 – 6, 4 days WL & 1 day Coastal racing.
* Copa del Rey, Palma, July 29 – August 3, 5 days WL & 1 day Coastal racing, dual scoring IRC & 52 Super Series.
* AUDI Week Of The Straits, Porto Cervo, September 10 – 14, 3 days WL & 2 days Coastal racing.