Hardly anyone would have thought that possible after the first two regattas of this season of the 52 Super Series: Harm Müller-Spreer’s crew was able to improve so much over the year with the new Botin design “Platoon Aviation” that they won the fifth and final regatta could win. As confident as in the best days of champions, the three-time world champion and his team won the fifth and final regatta of the year with the Royal Cup off Valencia. “Provezza” and Hasso and Tina Plattner’s “Phoenix” also sailed onto the Valencia podium.
52 Super Series: small point, big impact
With their victory, the owner of the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein and his crew once again heavily intervened in the fight for the season championship of the 52 Super Series. Because the British world champions were severely weakening on “Gladiator”, the final spurt came down to business between the US team Quantum Racing powered by American Magic and the team flying the German flag. One point ultimately made the difference between first and second place in the season championship.
“That’s the maximum penalty!” exclaimed the owner and helmsman from Hamburg after the close result. But Harm Müller-Spreer also said from a distance: “Last year we won the season championship by one point. We were on the lucky side. With the old boat we probably would have won the season. But we got the new boat under control. Hopefully next year it will be better again. The demand is definitely there.”
A look back at the season shows the impressive increase in performance of “Platoon Aviation” over the year: At the season opener at the Palmavela, Harm Müller-Spreer was still annoyed about seventh place. Another seventh place, partly caused by a collision, followed in the first of two Newport regattas in the 52 Super Series.
The Strong Uptrend of “Platoon Aviation”
After that, things went uphill in the same area: At the World Championships – also held in Newport – “Platoon Aviation” jumped to third place on the podium. The GER boat ended the sailing week off Puerto Portals in second place in the Mallorca area. At the finale, Harm Müller-Spreer’s team with tactician Vasco Vascotto, strategist Jordi Calafat, Michael Müller from Kiel and their colleagues rewarded themselves with a victory for the challenging comeback.
The new “Platoon Aviation”, which was initially so difficult to get to grips with, not only showed at the season finale in Valencia with series 8, 1, 2, 4, 7, 4 and 2 that the team is a strong force to be reckoned with again in the coming season will be. For the first time this season, the boat lived up to its bow number in a regatta: 01. “Platoon Aviation” tactician Vasco Vascotto mused about the narrowly missed season championship: “There were so many points that we lost over the course of the season that are now one Make a difference.”
The Italian explained in detail: “Of course I think about the collision with the object in Newport, which cost us ten points or so. But it’s a long season and everyone in this fleet can look back on points dropped all over the place. We are happy! We won this regatta, we won the Royal Cup. In the last race we were a little unlucky (Ed.: with a view to the fight for the season championship) because Provezza was not in the rankings.”
“I think we should be proud of what we’ve done.” Vasco Vascotto
Vascotto’s overall assessment of the season was positive: “We’ve gained about 30 points in the last few regattas and here, and that’s great for our future.” The season championship was secured by Quantum Racing powered by American Magic after 41 races at the five TP summits with 207 points ahead of “Platoon Aviation” (208 points) and the world champions on “Gladiator” (212 points). Hasso and Tina Plattner’s “Phoenix” ended the season in eighth place with 283 points.
After the Louis Vuitton Cup: “American Magic” wins
In the three-way battle for the season championship in Valencia, the British were unable to capitalize on their great successes of the year on “Gladiator”. Tony Langley’s team remains happy about the world title, a total of two regatta victories and a second place. Team Gladiator started in Valencia with an 18-point lead over the US team and even 28 points ahead of “Platoon Aviation”, but only finished the last regatta in twelfth and penultimate place. The shifting offshore winds off Valencia seemed to be of little concern to the boat and the team.
For the American best of the year, the season championship may have been a small consolation after NYYC American Magic’s semi-final exit in the Louis Vuitton Cup before Barcelona. Doug DeVos is one of the conductors and drivers for both teams. Ed Reynolds, Manager for Team Quantum American Magic, said: “I can’t remember us ever having such a strong season. Every team in the fleet can win races.”
