After the tightest of finishes to what has surely been the closest-fought season ever, Takashi Okura’s Sled crew won the 2021 52 Super Series title and the Rolex TP52 World Championships. Theirs is a popular victory for a hard-working, super-experienced team who take their sport seriously and are meticulous in their preparation and execution but, win or lose, they are usually smiling and are kings of the dockside banter.
Sailing under a USA sail number and flying the burgee of the New York Yacht Club, the crew are a truly multicultural mix, proudly embracing the Japanese culture at the heart of the team owned and usually driven by the discreet Mr. Takashi Okura, but the core is a potent mix of very experienced largely Kiwi America’s Cup and ex-Olympians, alongside a tight group of Japanese sailors who have sailed with Mr. Okura for many years. Italian Andrea Visintini is the navigator.
Aussie Adam Beashel is longtime strategist/tactician but travel for him was too difficult after the first regatta, Puerto Portals, so Francesco Bruni was quickly recruited. Another bump in the road was losing their Japanese sailors for the second regatta. Read on.