"The wind is a gentle breeze. It has told me about you. The bells ring, the song flies. They call us together. Guide us forever. I wish my dream would never go away. Barcelona!"
The finale of the 52 Super Series in Barcelona was as intense as Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé once sang about Spain's Olympic metropolis and future America's Cup capital. The final of the tenth anniversary season was celebrated at the end of October in the city where it premiered in 2012.
Only nine boats took part in 2022, but the standard is extremely high
The view from the terrace of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona shows at a glance who the guests are: a blue crane with an XL poster celebrating the 52 Super Series' anniversary towers into the sky on the quay wall. Next to it, the workshop containers of the professional racing teams form a pit lane. Right at the front, the turquoise-coloured 40-foot cuboid of the US team Quantum Racing with its strikingly curved black and white stripes marks the entrance. This is followed by the workplaces of eight other teams, including Harm Müller-Spreer's "Platoon" team and the "Phoenix" campaign of SAP founder Hasso Plattner and his daughter Kristina Plattner. Teams from six countries with sailors and technical teams from all over the world make the scenario look like an America's Cup harbour in miniature.
The season's best are not only striking in terms of colour. The "Quantum" sailors were at the top again in their anniversary year, winning their fifth world championship title in the summer ahead of "Platoon" and the British "Alegre". There is only a small amount of consolation for the competition at the light wind final in Barcelona: the Americans, whose racing team owner Doug DeVos and tactician Terry Hutchinson are also among the engines of America's Cup challenger American Magic, also win the fifth and final regatta of the year. And with it the season championship.
Racing series bursting with stars and expertise
The crew of the US dominators is hand-picked, bursting with professionals with medals from the Olympic Games, America's Cup or SailGP. How purposefully the Americans work in the 52 Super Series is evident in all areas. They operate one of the most comprehensive data collection and performance analysis programmes. A few containers away, Tammo Baldszun from Bremen has been working for Takashi Okura's US team "Sled" since 2018. The tacticians and strategists here are America's Cup experts Francesco Bruni and Murray Jones. The 2021 TP52 world champions have their own sailing expert in Baldszun. "For me as a sailmaker, the job is very exciting. We always work with the latest materials. The 52 Super Series has an educational character," says Baldszun.
Next door, Michael Müller from Kiel trudges into the "Platoon" container. His wealth of experience makes the 39-year-old the only German power player on board alongside Harm Müller-Spreer. The father of five once dropped out of his mechanical engineering studies after being recruited by the first German America's Cup campaign. Müller boosted his professional career with two round-the-world races in the Volvo Ocean Race. Today, he is one of the few internationally sought-after German sailors. In addition to his duties as "Mid Bow" on board, Müller is technically responsible for the sail systems.
German professional sailors appreciate the TP52
Müller, who is also active in the ClubSwan 50 racing series on Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari", is attracted by the development work and the battle for millimetre leads in the TP52 class: "The technical effort is much greater than in a standard class like the ClubSwan 50, where you can buy a boat and sail it successfully with a good crew without much development work. The TPs are more demanding."
This is exactly what Harm Müller-Spreer appreciates. "Outside of the America's Cup, we are at the top of our game here. I can't think of a class in which people work more professionally." The Hamburg property developer knows what he is talking about. The trained sailmaker is an ambitious helmsman, Dragon Gold Cup winner in 2000 and 2001, and the fact that he can compete with some of the biggest names in sailing in the 52 Super Series is an incentive for him.
Audi MedCup as the origin
His TP52 entry was many years ago. At his first attempt in the Super Series predecessor Audi MedCup, which was held between 2006 and 2011, Müller-Spreer had agreed to a marriage of convenience: Platoon powered by Team Germany. The alliance was formed after the 2007 America's Cup between the Hamburg native and the core team of a planned German Cup follow-up campaign centred around Jochen Schümann. Renowned partners Audi and Adidas came on board, where Schümann and Müller-Spreer wanted to take turns at the helm.
The alliance to bridge the sporting gap while waiting for the next America's Cup does not last long with two bosses on board, despite their mutual initial respect. The successes fail to materialise. Müller-Spreer is too seldom at the wheel, gets annoyed and quits again in 2008. Audi ended its title sponsorship four years later. The MedCup is history.
It could easily have been the end of the TP52 success story, but in 2012 a number of wealthy sailing enthusiasts ensured a promising new start: Skype creator Niklas Zennström ("Rán"), the American Amway President Doug DeVos ("Quantum Racing") and the now deceased Argentinian pharmaceutical billionaire and "Azzurra" owner Alberto Roemmers founded a company to organise top-class regattas. The 52 Super Series is created under this umbrella. It works closely with the TP52 class association under the leadership of manager Rob Weiland. "We are connected like twins. We need each other," says Weiland.
Harm Müller-Spreer with two world championship titles after TP52 comeback
Five teams, including the Franco-German co-production Audi All4One, start in May 2012. The popular series reaches its peak in 2015 with 15 participants. Harm Müller-Spreer made his comeback that year, now on his own. First the armoured cruiser look of the new "Platoon" in airbrush design catches the eye, then the good performances. Two fourth places in the 2017 season were followed by the first world championship title. In 2018, he cruised with a new Judel/Vrolijk boat. The second world championship triumph came in 2019.
This year, the German boat was one of the three Judel/Vrolijk designs competing against half a dozen Botín designs, alongside the Turkish "Provezza" and the French "Paprec". The comparison could also have gone in favour of the fast J/V design. However, the long-standing collaboration between Harm Müller-Spreer and tactician John Kostecki is showing signs of fatigue. In the middle of the season, Müller-Spreer drew the consequences and replaced Kostecki with the Italian Vasco Vascotto. "It's like in football: sometimes you have to change the coach or striker," commented the boss on the prominent personnel manoeuvre. With the new line-up, it was enough for a conciliatory third place on the podium in the Superliga season rankings, which operates with its own professional race management team headed by Maria Torrijo.
Plattner family with Tom Slingsby in second place
When asked about his new employer in Barcelona, Vascotto smiles: "It's like Guillermo Parada said: it's funny that an Italian sometimes has to tell a German to keep calm. But we have fun together, we're a great team. And I see room for improvement."
Hasso and Tina Plattner also have their sights set on them. Because the 44-year-old daughter of the SAP founder lives in Cape Town, where she works for the Hasso Plattner Foundation and has felt at home in South Africa for more than 20 years, the family racing yacht "Phoenix" will compete in the 52 Super Series with the sail number RSA 5211. Father, daughter and team manager Tony Norris will take turns at the helm, depending on travelling options. Tina Plattner will contest the final in Barcelona after a long break from sailing of two and a half years, partly due to the pandemic. At her side for her comeback is the most sought-after sailing professional on the planet: two-time World Sailor of the Year, SailGP dominator, Moth World Champion, Olympic champion, America's Cup winner, tactician and mate Tom Slingsby.
Tina Plattner preserved the title chances of "Phoenix"
"Tony and I are the only amateur sailors on board, everyone else is a professional," says the power woman, describing the crew mix on "Phoenix". Together with her partner Tony Norris, the successful rider has turned the father-daughter idea from 2014 into a family mission. On her return to Barcelona, she even managed a brilliant day in the windless week, which was a talking point in the pit lane. Finishing 3-1-2, the "Phoenix" team catapulted itself back within striking distance of the "Quantum" leaders in the battle for victory this season. How did an amateur sailor manage this in the concert of the sailing superpowers?
"I know very few people who can concentrate like Tina," says Tom Slingsby, explaining his boss's greatest strength at the tiller with sincere respect. When asked which sailing conditions she particularly likes, she reveals: "Downwind planning is great! I'm still a bit scared of jibing in strong winds. At the same time, I learn a lot from Tom. He sees things on the water that I only dream about..."
TP52 class was not spared from corona either
In 2019, the Plattners worked very hard to prepare the first two regattas of the 52 Super Series, including the World Championship, for the premiere in South Africa in 2020. The kick-off event took place at the beginning of March. Then came corona and thwarted the plans to boost South African sailing. "It will remain a big regret of my life that the World Championships didn't work out," Tina Plattner looks back wistfully. In the here and now, she enjoys the high level of TP, "even if I have to fight with dad and Tony for the helm". She says: "It's really competitive on the water. What I learn here in a week would take a year or more on other boats." TP52 yachts were a special breed right from the start. Originally developed as a powerful boat for the long-distance Transpac race from San Francisco to Honolulu, the Transpac 52 - TP52 for short - has established itself as the leading monohull racing class without foils in the Super Series. Ambitious owners, clever designers and experienced professionals in co-production are responsible for this.
The development is based on the "Box Rule". Since 2001, the class rules have provided a corset that has been cleverly modernised again and again over the years. With strict regulations, it ensures that the boats can compete against each other almost like in a standardised class. "You create your own boat, but have the sailing pleasure of a one-design," says class manager Rob Weiland, summarising the advantages. At the same time, the class association is currently endeavouring to open up by making its "Box Rule" more compatible with IRC and ORC handicap classifications. It is hoped that this will attract new interested parties to the 52 Super Series and expand the playing field for active owners, for example in the direction of major championships such as an ORC World Championship. The goal of a successful series with a strong, owner-managed class has long since been achieved 21 years after the class association was founded.
The carbon fibre racers with their huge sail areas and long, slender keels are constantly undergoing careful development. Thanks in part to the charisma of the 52 Super Series, they seem to be immune to the zeitgeist phenomenon of change, which is constantly giving rise to new boats and classes.
ClubSwan 50 on the rise
Just like the ClubSwan 50 racers from the one-design division of the luxury shipyard Nautor Swan, which fascinate a number of German owners. Federico Michetti, multiple world champion and successful with Quantum Racing in the 52 Super Series, is not only a professional sailor, but also sports director for ClubSwan Racing. The Milanese knows both worlds and says: "Of course, TPs and ClubSwan 50s are completely different boats. A TP is super high-tech, an exciting development yacht. A Club Swan 50 is a great one design that also offers cruising options. The level of competition in both classes is as high as the atmosphere among the owners is friendly. The 52 Super Series has set the bar very high. It is inspiring and I have a lot of respect for the creators. So the decision in favour of one class or the other is more about what someone wants for their personal sailing journey."
That makes all the difference. Hendrik Brandis, owner of the ClubSwan 50 "Earlybird", Vice World Champion and 2022 Nations Cup winner with Marcus Brennecke and his "Hatari" team, is convinced: "In the Club Swan 50 class, everyone has the same boat and the same material requirements to win. That's not the case with the TPs. That's why the competition with us is broader, in my opinion more exciting and ultimately even more challenging. Only the sailing makes the difference - not engineering and budget."
TP52 class is closely linked to the America's Cup
TP fans see it differently: they love the 52 Super Series as the little sister of the America's Cup. As a world league for those who are looking for their own technical and sailing challenge parallel to the foiling generation racing away. The TPs are similar to the Cup business: only those whose team masters all aspects from design and management to hardware and software through to top sporting performance are successful.
Quantum Racing's team boss Doug De-Vos is currently bringing both worlds together, announcing the Quantum Racing powered by American Magic project "to join forces". DeVos wants to give young sailors better training opportunities, declaring the initiative to be "vital" for the future of US sailing - and thus also strengthening the 52 Super Series.
Anticipation for the next seasons is already growing
In 2023, the eleventh season will feature events in Saint-Tropez, Scarlino, Menorca, Barcelona and Puerto Portals. A visit to the American west coast is on the cards for 2024.
The final act of the anniversary season heralds the start of the next decade. Almost 500 sailors and guests gathered in the Gothic-style halls of the historic Llotja de Barcelona trading centre to celebrate the past and future of the 52 Super Series. The lasting and emotional way in which the series is presented by German Marketing Director Lars Böcking, his team and the international TV crew was also evident in every detail of the party. Ribera del Duero was served - from 2012, of course - and it was no coincidence that half of the America's Cup was celebrating not far from the future Cup harbour. The overlap between the big and small regatta sister remains significant. The Cup will be held in the Catalan capital for the first time in 2024. The anticipation of this always resonates in the 52 Super Series. In Freddy Mercury's words:"Barcelona. Such a beautiful horizon. Barcelona. Long live high!"
The 2022 season championship
Nine teams from six countries competed at Formula 1 level for world championship medals and the season championship in 2022:
In its 10th anniversary season, Quantum Racing was the measure of all things with world championship title number five since 2012 and its fifth win of the season. Germans were also successful with the "Phoenix" (fourth in the world championship, second in the season) and the "Platoon" (runner-up in the world championship, third in the season)
TP52 vs. ClubSwan 50
Cheaper and less crew: the series Swans are an attractive alternative to the professional class. Comparable at first glance, but two worlds apart on closer inspection: the Grand Prix yachts in the 52 Super Series and the One Designs in ClubSwan Racing. A successful start in the Swan Circuit is possible from scratch with a good team, whereas entering the 52 Super Series requires more experience, technical development work and a larger budget. Building a new TP is more expensive than buying a ClubSwan 50, and an ambitious TP52 project can consume up to 30 sails per year for regattas and training with a comparable number of races. The 50-foot Swan does not even need half of such a fancy wardrobe. There are currently nine crews in the TP class, and around twice as many in the Swans. Both groups have fun.
ClubSwan Racing: ClubSwan 50
- Founding year of the series2017 Design One
- Design (uniform class)
- Yacht designerJuan Kouyoumdjian
- Shipyard Nautor Swan
- New building costsapprox. 1.5 million euros
- Length 15.24 metres
- Width 4.20 metres
- Boat weightmin. 7,750, max. 8,150 kg
- HelmsmanOwner (at least 50 %) or representative with amateur status
- Crew no more than 5 professionals (6th professional possible with female sailor)
- Crew max. 980 kg (12 to 13 gliders)
- Seasonal budget approx. 350,000 to 800,000 euros
- German boats "Hatari", "Earlybird", "Niramo"
52 Super Series: TP52
- Founding year of the series2012
- DesignBox Rule (development class)
- Yacht designer freely selectable, currently: Botín Partners, Judel/Vrolijk
- Shipyardfreely selectable
- New building costs approx. 2.5 million euros
- Length15.85 metres
- Width4.42 metres
- Boat weight6,975 kg
- Helmsmanfreely selectable, owners or professionals
- CrewAmateurs/professionals freely selectable (mostly professionals)
- Crew max. 1,130 kg (13 to 14 people)
- Seasonal budget approx. 2 million euros
- German boats"Platoon", "Phoenix"
