Langley Holdings
Langley takes the helm as Class President
The world’s leading monohull yacht racing circuit, the 52 SUPER SERIES, 2026 season drew to a close off the Spanish city of Valencia last week.
Platoon Aviation owned and helmed by Harm Müller-Spreer, won the 2026 five-regatta championship, narrowly beating Takashi Okura’s Sled.
Prior to the final engagement, which saw sixteen teams competing, Chairman & CEO of Langley Holdings and Gladiator Sailing Team Boss, Anthony Langley, took on a new role in the sport as President of the TP52 Class Sailing Association, succeeding Doug DeVos, a founder of the series and Class President since 2017.
Langley was unanimously elected by the sixteen Class Members present at the Annual Class Meeting held immediately prior to the event.
Langley has been part of the TP52 Class since the 52 SUPER SERIES began in 2012, with the Langley Gladiator Sailing Team competing in the circuit from the outset.
A highlight came in 2024 when the Gladiator team won the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Newport, RI, with Langley, unusually for an owner, taking on the role of tactician.
Speaking about his new role as Class President, Langley said:
“Doug has made an enormous contribution to the Class over many years, both as President and as one of its most successful competitors. We owe him a great deal of gratitude.
“It is an honour to take over the Presidency. The Class is in excellent shape, with a strong international fleet and exceptionally competitive racing.
“My goal is to build on that success, working closely with our Members and the 52 SUPER SERIES to ensure that the TP52 remains at the pinnacle of grand prix yacht racing, competing at the world’s most prestigious sailing venues.”
Watch the 2026 52 SUPER SERIES season wrap up video here
Read the official TP52 Class Sailing Association press release here
The 2026 52 SUPER SERIES season came to a close in Valencia, Spain, last week, rounding off another year of highly competitive racing for Gladiator against some of the world’s leading professional sailing teams.
With the 2026 season now complete, the team is looking ahead to kicking off the 2027 season in Thailand in February, while Langley’s new role as Class President adds another dimension to his longstanding involvement with the TP52 fleet.
The principles that underpin the Gladiator programme closely reflect those of Langley Holdings, where technological excellence, teamwork and integrity are fundamental to the philosophy.
We look forward to another exciting season on the water!
Chairman & CEO of Langley Holdings and Gladiator Sailing Team Boss Anthony Langley, at the helm of TP52 Gladiator “A” in strong breeze during the 2026 52 SUPER SERIES
About Gladiator Sailing Team
The Gladiator Sailing Team has competed in the 52 SUPER SERIES since its inception in 2012. The team’s three Gladiator TP52s, based in the UK, the Mediterranean and the USA, are owned and operated by Langley Holdings plc. In common with Langley businesses, 52 Super Series yacht racing represents the very best in its field, attracts talented people dedicated to achieving excellence through teamwork and is conducted with the highest standards of integrity.
About Langley Holdings plc
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 two principal areas: Power Solutions and Diverse Industrials.
The group’s operations are based in Germany, Italy, France, the UK and Norway, with 16 production facilities in Europe, the UK and the USA. The group has more than 40 subsidiaries worldwide and employs approximately 5,000 people.
Langley Holdings was established in 1975 by the current Chairman & CEO, Anthony Langley, and remains entirely in family ownership.
