Team Gladiator
Dead last to podium finish with record triple bullets
The Langley Holdings Gladiator Sailing Team were back in the Med July 5th-9th for Act III of the TP52 Super Series, the world’s premier monohull yacht racing circuit, off the Spanish island of Menorca.
A disastrous start to the regatta on Wednesday had the team lying dead last in the nine boat fleet with 8th and 9th position finishes on day one of the five day contest.
Record comeback
On Thursday the Gladiators stepped back into the arena fighting hard, clinically executing wins in both Race 3 and Race 4 to notch up a perfect double-bullet day.
Day three saw the team score yet another first place in Race 5 to make it three in a row. It was the first time any team has scored three back-to-back first places in over ten years of TP52 Super Series racing.
Gladiator, on the way to three in a row race wins off the Spanish island of Menorca to mark the mid-point of the 2023 TP52 Super Series season.
Despite the three firsts the team were still only lying in fourth place half way through the regatta, although just three points off the lead. Such is the closeness of racing in this fleet.
By the final day on Sunday the team had clawed their way to third place, only to be knocked back to fourth in the penultimate bout.
Finally, a second in Race 10 earned them third place on the podium, scoring 41 points over the ten race contest behind Provezza on 35 points and Platoon on 34 points. The team also podiumed third in St Tropez in the inaugural contest of the 2023 season.
Ringing the changes
The Gladiators scored just one win in the entire 2022 season and never once placed in the top half of the fleet. For 2023 Tony Langley has made radical changes to the team, including taking on the role of tactician himself and bringing in Argentinian Guille Parada to drive, along with other position changes to the crew of thirteen.
“When something isn’t working, something needs to change” he said.
Next up in the TP52 Super Series, the Rolex TP52 World Championship, to be held in Barcelona, August 21st-26th.
Click here to view Menorca Day 2 highlights – the double-bullet day
Listen here to Feargal Finlay, Langley’s Gladiator Sailing Team Project Manager talking to the BBC.
About the Gladiator Sailing Team
Gladiator Sailing Team is one of 11 teams from 7 different countries competing in the 2023 TP 52 Super Series, the world’s premier mono hull yacht racing circuit, The team also competes in other yacht racing in the UK and the USA, bringing on aspiring young sailors in big boat racing alongside seasoned professionals.
In common with Langley businesses, the TP52 Super Series represents the very best technology in its field, attracts talented, dedicated people and is conducted with the highest standards of integrity.
About Langley Holdings
Langley Holdings plc is a privately owned UK-based engineering and industrial manufacturing group, principally producing capital equipment for diverse markets worldwide. Langley businesses are either outright market leaders, or occupy strong niche positions in their respective fields, providing advanced technologies in a solutions-based approach. The group operates in three principal areas: Power Solutions, Print Technologies and Other Industrials. The group’s operations are based in Germany, Italy, France the UK and Norway, with 18 production facilities in Europe, the UK and the USA. The group has more than 90 sales and service subsidiaries worldwide and employs around 5,300 people. Langley Holdings was established in 1975 by the current Chairman & CEO, Anthony Langley and remains entirely in family ownership.
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