Paprec Claims Historic First 52 Super Series Victory in Lanzarote, Shaking Up Season Standings

After seventeen years of relentless competition in the world's premier Grand Prix monohull circuit, the French team Paprec has finally broken through. Owned and driven by Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, the crew secured their first-ever regatta victory at the Marina Rubicón Lanzarote 52 Super Series Sailing Week. The triumph in the Canary Islands marks a historic milestone for the team, which joined the 52 Super Series at its inception in 2012 but had never managed to stand atop the podium at the end of a grueling race week. Competing against a fleet of thirteen elite yachts, Paprec navigated treacherous, heavy-air conditions to edge out the Italian crew on Alkedo Vitamina by two points, while pushing the defending world champions, Sled, into third place.[1][4]

The emotional weight of the victory was palpable on the docks of Lanzarote. Petithuguenin, who began his sailing journey three decades ago with his family at a small regatta in Brest, was visibly moved by the achievement. He shared during the trophy presentation that he had been waiting 17 years to win at the end of a TP52 regatta. He emphasized the pride of seeing a small French team from Brittany overcome the most heavily resourced and star-studded syndicates in the sport. Celebrating alongside his longtime mainsheet trimmer Stephane Névé, who has been with the owner since those early days, Petithuguenin promised to ship a container of champagne to the island for the entire fleet.[3][4]

Paprec's breakthrough is no accident; it is the culmination of a strategic overhaul of their afterguard. The team recently brought aboard ocean racing legend Loick Peyron to call tactics from the pit, pairing him with Vendée Globe runner-up Yoann Richomme, who took over navigation duties for the first time this season. This all-French brain trust proved to be the winning combination. While other teams struggled to process the chaotic wind shifts and rapid tactical developments, Peyron and Richomme kept the boat in fast, clean air. Their ability to seamlessly translate offshore endurance instincts into the hyper-aggressive, short-course format of the TP52 class gave Paprec a distinct edge when the weather turned violent.[1][3]

The conditions in Lanzarote were uncompromising, pushing both the sailors and their carbon-fiber yachts to the absolute limit. Throughout the week, the northerly trade winds consistently blew over 25 knots, churning up steep waves and forcing the race committee to cancel an entire day of competition. The heavy breeze placed a massive premium on flawless boat handling and conservative risk management. Downwind legs became survival tests, with the fleet suffering an unusually high attrition rate of shredded spinnakers. While several top contenders blew out their kites or broached during high-speed gybes, Paprec maintained a steady, error-free posture, prioritizing structural survival over marginal speed gains.[1][2]

The regatta came down to a dramatic, winner-take-all finale in the seventh and final race. Going into the decisive heat, the leaderboard was incredibly tight. Paprec sat in a narrow third place, trailing both Sled and Alkedo Vitamina by a single point. The mathematics were simple: whichever of the three boats crossed the finish line first would likely claim the overall regatta title. The tension was amplified by a strong localized current that was actively pushing the fleet toward the starting line, forcing helmsmen to constantly feather their boats to avoid early starts while fighting for the favored pin end.[1][3]

Under the immense pressure of the final start, Alkedo Vitamina blinked. The Italian team, driven by Andrea Lacorte, jumped the starting gun and was forced to bear away and restart, immediately dropping to the back of the fleet. This early error seemingly cleared the path for Sled to cruise to their fourth consecutive regatta victory. However, Takashi Okura's American-flagged team, which had looked invincible after winning the world title earlier in the summer, fell foul of the match racing gods. Sled incurred a costly penalty at the top mark, forcing them to execute a penalty turn that dropped them back to twelfth place in the shifting breeze.[1][3]

With their two main rivals suddenly fighting from the rear, Paprec sailed a masterclass in controlled, defensive fleet racing. Peyron and Richomme read the shifting breeze perfectly, working methodically through the fleet without taking unnecessary risks. By the final downwind run, they had locked down a comfortable fourth-place finish in the race. Alkedo Vitamina mounted a heroic comeback, clawing past four boats on the final leg to finish fifth, but the damage from their early start was insurmountable. Sled could only recover to tenth. Paprec's final scoreline of 24 points secured the title, leaving Alkedo on 26 and Sled on 31.[1][2][3]

For the French crew, the victory offered profound redemption. Just one year prior, in similarly punishing heavy-air conditions at the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais, Portugal, Paprec had come agonizingly close to the ultimate prize. They lost that world title to American Magic Quantum Racing by a single point on the final day. The memory of that near-miss fueled their conservative, mistake-free approach in Lanzarote. By refusing to blink when the pressure peaked, they finally erased the heartbreak of Cascais and proved they belong in the highest echelon of the 52 Super Series.[3][4]

Despite their stumble in the Canary Islands, Sled remains the dominant force in the 2026 overall season standings. Having won the season opener in Puerto Portals and the World Championship in Porto Cervo, Okura's team sits comfortably atop the leaderboard with 120 points. Harm Müller-Spreer's Platoon Aviation holds second place with 137 points, closely followed by Alkedo Vitamina at 140. Paprec's historic victory has significantly tightened the midfield, vaulting them into fourth overall with 157 points, ahead of Pieter Heerema's No Way Back with 165 and the Swedish newcomers on Trinity Racing with 168.[1][2][4]

The fleet will not have to wait long for their next clash, as the boats remain in the Canary Islands for the fourth event of the season. The Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 Super Series Royal Cup is scheduled to begin on August 24, promising another week of intense trade-wind racing. For Sled, the upcoming regatta is an opportunity to clean up their uncharacteristic penalties and mathematically lock down the season championship. For Paprec, the challenge shifts from breaking their 17-year drought to proving that their heavy-air mastery can translate into consistent, back-to-back podium finishes as the circuit heads toward its October finale in Valencia.[1][2]