TP 52

Last updated

TP 52
Transpac52 Sailing.svg
Class symbol
LPZ 20110519 0141.JPG
TP52 Container at the Audi MedCup races in Cascais, 2011
Hull
LOA 15.85 m (52 ft 0 in)

The Transpac 52 (TP52) is a class of yacht used for competitive 52 Super Series yacht racing, and the Audi MedCup previously, besides the world championship of the class. The class is recognised by the International Sailing Federation which entitles the class to hold an Official World Championships.

Contents

History

The TP52 Class has grown from a non-registered club of like minded yachtsmen inspired by Tom Pollack to a fully member controlled, registered and ISAF recognised Class with a proper set of bylaws, an annual meeting, an executive committee made up out of the members and a class president who also has to be a member.

The original intention was to provide a yacht capable for both inshore and offshore sailing specifically the Transpacific Yacht Race however with the decline in IMS racing, the class became popular in Europe. A professional inshore tour was established for Europe called the MedCup. Recent (2022-23) rule changes [1] help keep the class at the forefront of competitive racing.

The Box Rule

TP52 boats are built and sailed to a set of rules which established the original design as a 'box' rule - where the boat must fit within a notional box of specified dimensions. The current rules [2] specify a single masted, fixed keel mono-hull with a bowsprit and a single rudder, with maximum hull length of 15.85 metres (52 ft), beam width of 4.3 metres (14 ft), keel draft of 3.5 metres (11 ft) and spinnaker hoist height of 22.4 metres (73 ft), along with a minimum total weight of 6,975 kilograms (15,377 lb) and maximum keel bulb weight of 3,800 kilograms (8,400 lb).

Events

World Championship

Global Championship

The unofficial World Championship was held before it got international status and were the keystone of the formation of the class.

EventGoldSilverBronze
2006 Miami Flag of Ireland.svg  Patches  (IRL)
Eamon Conneely
Flag of the United States.svg  Pegasus 52  (USA)
Philippe Kahn
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Beau Geste  (CHN)
Kark Kwok
2007 Porto Cervo Flag of Sweden.svg  Artemis Racing  (SWE)
Torbjorn Tornqvist
Flag of Ireland.svg  Patches  (IRL)
Eamon Conneely
Flag of Monaco.svg  Mean Machine  (MON)
Peter de Ridder

European Series

The competition changed the nature of the class with it becoming a pinnacle inshore/coastal event for grand prix monohulled yacht racing. The series started off as the MedCup from 2005 to 2011 before evolving in the 52 Super Series.

Offshore Events

TP 52s or optimized direct derivatives have won the overall trophy in most of the classic offshore events while racing under the major international handicap systems. Notable results include:

RaceDistanceCategoryBoat NameSkipperElapsed timeNotes
2003 Transpac Race 2,225 nm1st overallAlta VitaFlag of the United States.svg Bill Turpin (USA)7d 12h 20m 29sAnother TP 52, Beau Geste, came 2nd overall. [3]
2004 Newport Bermuda Race 635 nm1st overallRosebudFlag of the United States.svg Roger Sturgeon (USA)2d 20h 24m 43s [4]
2004 Chicago to Mackinac 333 nm1st overallEsmeraldaMakoto Uematsu
Flag of the United States.svg  Ken Read  (USA)
1d 17h 5m [5]
2005 Transpac Race 2,225 nm1st overallRosebudFlag of the United States.svg Roger Sturgeon (USA)8d 16h 25m 4sTP 52s came 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall. [6]
2005 Fastnet Race 608 nm2nd overallPatchesFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  Ian Walker  (GBR)2d 2h 17m 48s [7] [8]
2006 Hong Kong to Vietnam Race673 nm1st overallIsland FlingFlag of Ireland.svg Paul Winkelmann (IRE)2d 0h 16m 5s [9]
2009 Gotland Runt 352 nm1st overallRánFlag of Sweden.svg  Niklas Zennström  (SWE) [10]
2010 Cowes-Dinard-St Malo 151 nm1st overallJohn Merricks IIFlag of the United Kingdom.svg Luke McCarthy (GBR)21h 24m 03sAnother TP 52, Paprec Recyclage, finished 39 seconds later. [11]
2010 Gotland Runt 352 nm1st overallFram XVIFlag of Norway.svg  King Harald V  (NOR)1d 23h 59m 39s [12] [13]
2010 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race1,805 nm4th overall /2nd in classJohn Merricks IIFlag of the United Kingdom.svg Luke McCarthy (GBR)8d 11h 49m 23sBritish Keelboat Academy's youth team entry led overall in the opening stages of the race. [14] [15]
2010 Middle Sea Race 606 nm1st overallLuckyFlag of the United States.svg Bryon Ehrhart (USA)3d 3h 16m 25s [16]
2011 Gotland Runt 352 nm1st overallDatacom-LindahlFlag of Germany.svg Ralf Aspholm (GER) [17]
2012 Hong Kong to Hainan Race355 nm1st overallFreefireFlag of Hong Kong.svg Sam Chan (HKG)1d 4h 43m 54s [18]
2013 Hong Kong to Vietnam Race673 nm1st overallLuckyFlag of the United States.svg Bryon Ehrhart (USA)2d 2h 22m 44s [9]
2013 Fastnet Race 608 nm1st in classPaceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg Johnny Vincent (GBR)2d 21h 15m 7s [19]
2014 China Sea Race 565 nm2nd overallLuckyFlag of the United States.svg Bryon Ehrhart (USA)2d 21h 45m 22s [20]
2016 Victoria to Maui 2,308 nm1st overallKinetic VFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg David Sutcliffe (CAN)8d 14h 16m 46sAnother TP52, Valkyrie, took line honours and set a race record of 8d 9h 17m 50s. [21]
2017 Sydney to Hobart 628 nm1st overallIchi BanFlag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Allen (AUS)1d 19h 10m 20s [22]
2019 Hong Kong to Vietnam Race673 nm1st overallFreefireFlag of Hong Kong.svg Sam Chan (HKG)2d 0h 27m 55s [9]
2019 Sydney to Hobart 628 nm1st overallIchi BanFlag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Allen (AUS)2d 6h 18m 5s [23]
2020 Caribbean 600600 nm1st overallOutsiderFlag of Germany.svg Bo Teichmann (GER)2d 19h 41m 40s [24]
2021 Sydney to Hobart 628 nm1st overallIchi BanFlag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Allen (AUS)3d 3h 42m 29sAnother TP 52, Celestial, came 2nd overall. [25]
2022 Sydney to Hobart 628 nm1st overallCelestialFlag of Australia (converted).svg Sam Haynes (AUS)TP 52 also came 2,3,4,5! [26]

Coastal Races

RaceCategoryBoat NameSkipperNotes
2016 Round the Island Race 1st OverallGBR 11152 - GladiatorBernard Langley [27]

Pinnacle Inshore Events

RaceCategoryBoat NameSkipperNotes
2013 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stHurakanMarco Serafini
2014 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stEnfant TerribleAlberto Rossi
2015 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stEnfant TerribleAlberto Rossi
2016 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stFreccia RossaVadim Yakimenko
2018 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stBeau GesteFlag of Hong Kong.svg  Karl Kwok  (HKG)
2019 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stXioFlag of Italy.svg  Marco Serafini  (ITA)
2022 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stBeau GesteFlag of Hong Kong.svg  Karl Kwok  (HKG)
2023 ORCi World Championships - Class A1stBeau GesteFlag of Hong Kong.svg  Karl Kwok  (HKG) [28]

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References

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