The Donostiarra Agustín Zulueta is a world reference of this sport and since 2013 he is the general director of the 52 Super Series, «the competition … of most important monoccascos in the world ». Training Engineer with Specialization in Composites, Zulueta is a sailing professional since 1987 and has lived some of the brightest moments of nautical in Spain, having participated as a crew in three editions of the Copa América. He was the technical and sports director of the Spanish challenge.
– Define the 52 super series.
– It is a monoccascos inshore regatt circuit, in fleet format. It is based on a carefully managed ‘box’ boxing that defines key dimensions that affect performance – velico surface, length, manga, displacement, keel draft, height and weight of the mast – but leaves enough margin for designers and equipment to develop their own ideas. It is considered formula 1 of the monoccasco regattas: the equipment can design, build and compete with their own ship, provided that they respect the rules of construction and power. Thus, each ship is different, although the vessels are very similar and navigate almost at the same speed. Unlike regattas with handicap, in the 52 super series he wins the first to cross the finish line. It is real -time competition, without subsequent corrections. Wardens and crews love high speeds, the excellent power-peso ratio, the sensation of light boat in the cane and the need to look for small advantages to win. It is a unique proposal within the sports candle.
– And its function is …
– My official position is the general director of the circuit. That encompasses the management efforts of the company, commercial efforts with the headquarters, election of the calendar and efforts with the sponsors. The 52 Super Series were founded in 2012 and immediately hired me. I do this work since May 2013. My goal is to organize a navigation platform at the highest level that is fun for shipowners. There is a regatta committee, judges, many people of operations, logistics, marketing, communication …
– What would be the minimum investment necessary to participate?
– A team, as little, must invest a million and a half in the purchase of the ship. And, from there, what costs the season: crew, flights, hotels … Our fleet and our circuit is a circuit that is also characterized by being free design and free construction. Our ships and the ships of the Copa América use exactly the same technology.
– Now it seems that everything that is not seeing ‘fly’ to the ships …
– We bet on another way. We are the other most important circuit in the world. We use the same technology, carbon fiber, construction and the highest technology. They are two different ways of navigating. In our ships, basically, there are thirteen crew and in them six. Our boats have more different candles, there are candles changes and in their ships. That is more physical work.
– What does the presence of an event of the 52 super series contribute to a headquarters?
– It brings about three million euros in direct revenues. We are talking about thirteen teams formed each by between 25 and 30 members, plus the organization, more guests … That is about 500 people living at the headquarters for ten days. We also contribute international media impact, because the circuit makes an effort to promote not only the sports aspect, but also the social and the environment in which the regattas are celebrated. And there is a factor that is more difficult to value, and that is that crew and shipowners become ambassadors of the headquarters.
– What is decision making?
– We try to announce venues and calendar at least one year in advance, to facilitate that shipowners and crews can be organized with time. We carry out a selection process of the headquarters during the winter, towards March-April alternatives are presented to the teams, and between June and August the agreements are closed and announced the following season.
– How are the headquarters selected? Today they stop at Saint Tropez (France), Baiona (Galicia), Cascais (Portugal), Puerto Portals (Mallorca) and Porto Cervo (Italy).
– The selection of headquarters is carried out based on four criteria: they have to offer a good field of regattas, cover the logistics criteria (which we enter as fleet, good accessibility and communications), that is an attractive site for shipowners and that offer the necessary financial support.
– How many form the fleet of participants?
– Right now we have thirteen ships (from Hong Kong, Ingratera, United States, South Africa, Turkey, France, Germany, Brazil, Italy and Thailand). Not everyone competes in all regattas, but we have an average of eleven or twelve ships, which is a very good figure. We are already in very important logistics figures, because for each event we move in the order of 26 containers, 12 ships and twenty support vessels. We are already a bit to the size limit. If we were more, we would have to reduce the number of venues to which to be able to go. You have to look for balance. Twelve ships in the regattas field is a good, spectacular measure, which yields a lot and above all that are nine different nationalities. The competition is very open. All ships can win regattas. In the last appointment there were seven different winners in seven regattas. We are very happy with the dimension that the circuit has taken.
– How is the competition format?
– Each regatta includes ten sleeves and those ten sleeves are normally made in five days of regatta. Each event lasts eight days: two training, one of training regatta and then five days of points regatta. And now our next regatta, which is, by the way, the most important of the year, the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais, since Tuesday 1. For us it is a very important letter of presentation that a firm like Rolex, the one with the greatest prestige in the world of sport, is with us as it is in golf or tennis.
– From what counts are taking important steps.
– This circuit began in 2012 and we are already close to being the circuit, I believe that we are already, the longest in the international candle, but we must not fall asleep, you have to continue evolving, we must continue to advance and have a view in the future and be able to develop the product as well as possible.
– And what about your head?
– Now we have several ships, Asians, from Japan, from Thailand, of Hong Kong and we are evaluating whether in 2027 it would be good to make some regatta there. It would be the first time that the circuit is in Asia, it would be a good goal. It can be Asia or Cape Town because we also have a South African team. It would be a good international movement for 2027.
– Have you been able to visit any Emirate? It seems that money is only there in sport.
– The first priority is the Regatas field and they are not the best. In addition, the months that can be visited per year are not the most attractive. Our goal at the end of the year is not to have more income, but to have the circuit at the level we want and in the high competition. And that’s why we select the headquarters and places where we go. What we want is to have a good show, a good field regattas, a good organization and that our regatists compete at the highest level. We continue to think, we continue to evolve and we have many ideas in the future. We are also adapting to the shipowners and the teams we have. We make them participate a lot in the business decisions of the sites and that is what makes us attractive.
– When does a Spanish team?
– We have many Spanish crew in foreign teams but we don’t have Spanish teams. We continue to sail many regattas in Spain and see if in the future we are lucky and some Spanish shipowner decides to have a team in this competition. It has been clear that Spain is a reference in organization of nautical events. There is no doubt that we have many kilometers of coast, with very good sailors, great professionals …
