Paprec Breaks Through: First 52 Super Series Win After 17 Years

How It Happened: A Final Day of Penalties and Pressure

Entering the seventh and final race, Paprec was in a narrow third place, just one point behind co-leaders Sled and Alkedo Vitamina. With the current pushing the fleet onto the start line, Alkedo Vitamina was one of three boats to jump the gun and incurred an early-start penalty.

Paprec sailed a clean race, rounding the top mark in fourth with Sled one place behind. Sled then received a penalty after an incident with Paprec at the buoy mark and dropped all the way back to 12th. Alkedo fought back from its early start to take four boats on the final run and finish fifth, while Sled could only recover to 10th. Paprec crossed the line second in the race (behind Platoon Aviation), which was enough to secure the regatta victory by two points over Alkedo and five over Sled.

Emotional Reactions: 'I Have Been Waiting 17 Years'

Owner Jean-Luc Petithuguenin said: "I have been waiting for the last 17 years to win at the end of a TP52 regatta and I am so happy. You can't realise. I started with nothing, with my family 30 years ago at my first regatta with Stephane Névé in Brest. A small French team from French Brittany was able to win against all these stars, the very best level in the world of sailing. It's amazing." He added that he had promised a container of champagne for everyone back in Lanzarote.

Project manager and mainsheet trimmer Stephane Névé, blinking back tears, said: "It was too much emotion for me after we passed the finish line. We have been waiting 17 years for this win. It was really crazy for us today." He dedicated the win to the team's late kite trimmer Olivier Camebourg, who died suddenly in 2024: "I think about the guys that have been racing with us that are not here anymore… the one we lost. I'm feeling all of this today. Thank you to them too."

Tactical Crew Additions

Paprec's breakthrough was driven by two key reinforcements on the tactics and navigation team:

• Loick Peyron — the legendary French ocean racer, calling tactics (joined the team in 2024).
• Yoann Richomme — the Vendée Globe runner-up, serving as navigator for this regatta for the first time.

Owner Petithuguenin also paid warm tribute to Névé, who sailed with him on his very first races 30 years ago.

2026 Season Standings: Sled Still Leads the Championship

Despite Paprec's win, Sled (Takashi Okura) still leads the overall 2026 52 SUPER SERIES championship after three of five events. After the Lanzarote regatta, Sled holds a 17-point lead at the top of the season leaderboard, with Platoon Aviation second and Alkedo Vitamina third. Paprec's victory lifted them from eighth place entering Lanzarote to fourth overall, now 17 points off the podium. The circuit continues with the next event, the Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup, in August.