Rolex TP52 Worlds: GER and USA at the top with final day of racing tomorrow

RACING HAS JUST WRAPPED for today (Friday) off gorgeous Scarlino in Tuscany, ITA. PLATOON (GER) are holding a slim two-point lead over QUANTUM RACING (USA) going into Saturday's three races. The Bay Area's John Kostecki (USA) is doing a superb job calling tactics for PLATOON's owner/driver Harm Müller-Spreer in the tricky light to moderate conditions. Also consistently strong this week has been the USA's Doug DeVos (Holland, MI) in his QUANTUM RACING, a perennial class champ. Doug shares the helming duties with American Olympian Bora Gulari (Detroit) and, increasingly this week, Terry Hutchinson (USA, Annapolis). Terry normally calls tactics but has been starting the boat and in general doing more driving of late. Our longtime friend and former AC colleague, Dirk DeRidder (NED) is a key crewman on PLATOON as main trimmer, his speciality.

The World Championship, sponsored by Rolex, is live-streamed to the internet, and you can tune in to the live feed (and watch video replays of races) via the TP52 Super Series website or their YouTube channel again tomorrow beginning at 1200 CET (0600 EDT, 0300 PDT – no your Ed. will not be tuning in at 0300, but what's stopping you?). Nice to hear the American voice of commentator Genny Tulloch (USA, Houston), superb sailor in her own right and our former AC colleague.

Below, afterguard, trimmers and bow for PLATOON (left) and QUANTUM RACING (right).