The Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup will take place next week, marking the fourth of five races in the 2026 season, and it will see the same 13 teams from the recent Marina Rubicón event.
The French team Paprec, skippered by Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, is riding high after their recent victory, which was their first since joining the circuit in 2012. Competitors such as Hong Kong’s Alpha Plus, Britain’s Alegre, and Italy’s Alkedo Vitamina will be looking to capitalise on their momentum in Puerto Calero.
Matteo De Luca, director of Alkedo Vitamina, expressed confidence after their second-place finish in Lanzarote last month, closely trailing the winners: “We were very close last time and want to win a regatta like the French did, but we remain focused on the calculated risks we take. Aiming for both a good circuit ranking and a win is our goal.”
The Royal Cup, highly coveted in the 52 SUPER SERIES, was established in 1995 by Norway’s King Harald and has been won multiple times by Harm Müller-Spreer’s Platoon Aviation. He aims to close a 17-point gap to current leader Sled, helmed by Takashi Okura. Müller-Spreer is optimistic about their chances, despite setbacks in the last event.
After initially leading the season, Sled faced challenges in the final races at Lanzarote. Tactician Francesco Bruni acknowledged their costly mistakes: “We were disappointed with our final day but must accept that bad days happen. Our focus is now on maintaining a healthy lead going into Valencia, and we need to perform solidly.”
Paprec, buoyed by confidence, is keen to replicate their victory. Project director Stéphane Névé says, “We understand our strengths and weaknesses. If the winds are right, we can achieve a strong performance. Half the fleet could win, but we know we can do it.”
Another team, Gladiator, faced a setback last month when a technical failure forced them to withdraw. Project director Feargal Finlay detailed their efforts to prepare for the Puerto Calero event, while also praising the support from other teams and sponsors.
The impending competition, which begins with a non-scoring training race on August 24, will offer five days of races and up to ten heats, leading to the final leg in Valencia in October. The event receives backing from various local government entities and tourism organisations.
The competing teams include Alegre (GBR), Alpha + (HKG), Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), and others, while the current leaderboard shows Sled leading by a narrow margin over its rivals, emphasising the fierce competition ahead in Puerto Calero.
