Bob and Laura Hughes’ HEARTBREAKER excelled in the off-shore events of the 2025 GL52 Great Lakes Series winning the Chicago-Mac and Bayview-Mac Races. In addition to these two prestigious victories, they had strong results at each of the GL52 Series inshore events, including a win at the Little Traverse Cup—together these scores totaled 16 points which ranked them in second-place overall for the season.

“Winning both the Chicago-Mac and Bayview-Mac Races fulfilled a long-held dream.” ~ Bob Hughes

Finishing in second place the Macatawa Challenge, Peter Askew’s WIZARD garnered third place over the season with 17 points. Having also claimed second place at three GLS events that were highlighted by individual race wins prove that the talent, work-ethic and perseverance of this team is second to none.

GL52 PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK:

The GL52 fleet is committed to continuous improvements on and off the water– specifically; Pre-Regatta Practice Day, Daily Morning Briefings, State of the Art Race Management Technology and On-Water Umpiring. Combined, these elements enrich the sailing experience and enhance performance throughout the fleet. They directly contribute to the high-level of competition among the closely-matched GL52 teams.

At Daily Pre-Race Briefings, the GL52 expert-filled coaching team presents video footage and data captured during the previous day’s races. Technical analysis of sail trim, boat speed and tactics are shared with owners and key team members who are encouraged to ask questions of the coaches and fellow competitors. Consequently, newer teams benefit from exponential improvement, getting them up to speed with the fleet quickly and keeping the level of competition high.

“For PROSPECTOR the daily fleet briefings were invaluable. Not only was the GL52 class new to us, but we had spent most of the previous six years racing offshore on our Mills 68 which was a totally different endeavor when compared to tight-quarters buoy racing in such a highly complex boat. From our very first event, we were astounded at not only the level of sophistication of the briefings but more importantly by how much all of the coaches and every team there were invested in seeing us improve on the racecourse. The level of inclusiveness made us feel super welcome and only added to the fun on the water.” ~ Co-Owners, Larry Landry & Paul McDowell

Additionally, a Pre-Regatta Prep Day is scheduled before each event. These provide competitors with multiple practice starts and short course runs. On-water support staff also benefit from practice while testing and tweaking technical systems. Pre-Regatta Prep Days ensure that when the warning signal for Race 1 is heard, everyone is dialed-in and ready to go!

Throughout racing, On-Water Umpires provide immediate feedback to competitors. While maintaining a level playing field, Umpires keep the contest on the race course rather than in the Jury Room.

“Starts are intense and finishes are close. We look at everything—crew, boat, sails, weight, maneuvers, trim, helming, etc. to find ways to save 2 seconds. If we can collect a handful of 2-second improvements, these can add up to in a place or two in our finish position… Everything is tight, everyone is winning races – there are no picket fences on the score card!” ~ John Huhn

The GL52 fleet’s reputation for close, high-performance action can be credited for building a growing fan base both on and off the water. As the spectator fleet continues to grow, so too does the fleet’s online audience. Viewership has increased throughout the season thanks to the addition of GL52-produced live stream drone video coverage complete with expert commentary by racing legend Farley Fontenot. Trac Trac units on each boat transmit relative positions on the course. Originally incorporated to provide recorded data for daily pre-race briefings, these technologies combine for a rich online viewing experience with an overview of the action not seen from the race course level. 

GL52 Community Outreach:

The GL52 fleet’s commitment to improvement and education also extends to community organizations who are invited to bring aspiring sailors to dockside boat tours, technology demonstrations, on-water viewing and to sit in at a daily pre-race briefings. This season we hosted groups of Little Traverse Sailors at the Big Red Regatta and Warrior Sailors at the Ugotta Regatta.

LOOKING AHEAD: 2026 GL52 SOUTHERN SERIES

The 2026 season will begin next spring with the GL52 Southern Series which includes the GL52 Pensacola Cup from March 19-22 and the GL52 Southern Showdown from April 9-12. Dates for the 2026 GL52 Great Lakes Series can be found on our website, where additional details will be added as available.

For more information, contact Linda Lindquist, GL52 Fleet Manager at +1 (312)-560-1168

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