Steady Sled eases ahead

Takashi Okura's Sled moved clear at the head of the standings after another composed day on the Bay of Palma, their 3-2 scoreline in Thursday's two races extending their lead to nine points over a fleet that continues to punish any lapse in concentration.

A 12–16 knot offshore breeze produced unpredictable, shifting conditions — right side paid first, then left — and the day's defining story was not who went fast but who avoided the disasters that swallowed their rivals. Provezza, who had looked the picture of consistency overnight, fell to 13th in race five. Alkedo Vitamina, who had blitzed two back-to-back bullets to delight the Italian camp on Wednesday, accumulated 20 points across the two races. Same again for Provezza. Two steps forward, two steps back.

Sled were largely immune to that pattern, tactician Francesco Bruni pointing to their starts as the week's defining weapon. "We had two very good starts — starts have been the highlight of the week," said the Italian America's Cup ace. "When you are fast it helps get you to the windshifts. It was a lot about picking the good shifts."

"The fleet is big, there are big names, the quality of the racing is so high. I am very impressed by how the team is managing the pressure," commented Bruni.

The day's two race wins went to different boats. Eric de Turckheim's Teasing Machine — denied a likely win on day one by a running backstay failure — led race five from start to finish, crossing ahead of Alpha Plus. Race six belonged to the Plass brothers' Brazilian entry Crioula, tactician Sam Albrecht having identified the pin-end opportunity early and capitalising when the fleet around him was still sorting itself out. It was Crioula's first race win since Valencia in late 2024.

"In the second we had a clear plan," Albrecht said, "and when the pin mark settled down I knew we could win. When you're in front, everything's easier." The three-time Olympian added that the team still struggles in lighter air, below 12 knots, but in Thursday's breeze — consistently above that threshold — they looked dangerous.

Platoon Aviation, the three-time world champions sailing under the German flag, continued their quiet upward trajectory. Harm Müller-Spreer's afterguard of Jordi Calafat, Vasco Vascotto, and Juan Vila are restructuring their race approach for a 14-boat fleet, according to pro sailor Víctor Marino: "The situation has changed a lot and we have to sail differently."

They now share second with Provezza, each on 34 points — nine adrift of Sled.

With two days and four or more races still to sail, the standings remain volatile — the top five are separated by just 11 points in a fleet this deep. But Sled, who won the 52 Super Series overall title in 2021, look the most settled team on the water right now. Whether anyone can close that gap on Friday may depend less on boat speed — several teams are within a knot of each other — and more on who keeps their head on straight when the Bay of Palma turns awkward.

Provisional leaderboard — after 6 races

1. Sled, Takashi Okura, 2+7+9+2+3+2 = 25
2. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 5+2+3+4+13+7 = 34
3. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 7+11+5+3+5+3 = 34   
4. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 10+5+4+6+9+1 = 35   
5. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 6+3+8+5+8+6 = 36  
6. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 3+8+6+10+7+4 = 38 
7. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 9+9+1+1+6+14 = 40  
8. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 8+1+15(DNS)+8+4+9 = 45   
9. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 4+10+10+9+2+11 = 46  
10. Vayu (THA), Whitcraft Family, 1+4+12+14+11+13 = 55  
11. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 14+6+2+13+10+12 = 57  
12. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 11+12+7+11+12+5 = 58   
13. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 12+15(DNF)+1(PEN)+11+12+1+8 =  60
14. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim, 13+13+13+7+14+10 = 70