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ClubSwan 50 European ChampionshipWorld Champion Müller-Spreer helps out on "Hatari" - Silver!

Tatjana Pokorny

 · 18.09.2023

Here Harm Müller-Spreer represents "Hatari" owner Marcus Brennecke at the wheel on the final day - and did a very good job
Photo: ClubSwan Racing
Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari" has won silver at the European ClubSwan 50 Championships. The crew flying the German flag was only beaten by August Schram's Austrian "Stella Maris". In addition to the regular crew around owner and helmsman Marcus Brennecke and tactician Markus Wieser, TP52 world champion Harm Müller-Spreer, who deputised for Brennecke on the final day, also contributed to the strong result

When two well-known owners help each other, the crew is happy. This is what happened at the ClubSwan 50 European Championship off Mahón on Menorca. Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari" crew was already sailing a good course when the owner and helmsman had to pull out for the last day. The replacement was none other than TP52 world champion and "Platoon" owner Harm Müller-Spreer.

World champion Harm Müller-Spreer can also do ClubSwan-Racing

The strict rules in the well-organised one-design success class stipulate that the helmsman or helmswoman must be a sailor with amateur status. Which is why not every professional crew member can step in if a helmsman is unavailable. Harm Müller-Spreer was on his way to Puerto Portals on Mallorca anyway. The season finale of the 52 Super Series is taking place there this week. A fierce duel is expected between Ergin Imre's Turkish "Provezza", which is leading the season standings, and the newly crowned world champions around Harm Müller-Spreer on "Platoon".

Harm Müller-Spreer added another one-day victory to the already good "Hatari" record at the ClubSwan 50 European Championship. "He did a good job," said "Hatari" tactician Markus Wieser, paying tribute to Harm Müller-Spreer, who quickly switched from TP52 to ClubSwan 50, after his successful shooting assistance. However, August Schram's crew on "Stella Maris" had three points less on their account after seven European Championship runs - that was worth European Championship gold.

It was a great experience to grow together" (August Schram)

August Schram said: "When we started this class, we decided to build our own crew. I'm incredibly proud of them. A lot of these guys, like me, had never been on a boat this big before they got on the ClubSwan 50. So we learnt together. It was a great experience to grow together. "Hendrik Brandis and his "Earlybird" crew sailed to third place at the European championships in Mahón. Sönke Meier-Sawatzki's "Niramo" came seventh. Mark Bezner's "Olymp" sailed to tenth place off Menorca.

In changing wind conditions, including a day with a sea breeze of 18 knots, August Schram's "Stella Maris" was able to hold on to her lead until the final day. Although the Austrian boat came under fierce attack from the strong German duo "Hatari" and "Earlybird" in the final sprint, in the end "Stella Maris" was not to be denied victory despite weak results on the final day. The series of 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 9th and 8th places was enough to secure a lucky leap to the top spot on the podium.

"Hatari" and Team Germany lead the Nations League

Nevertheless, Marcus Brennecke's "Hatari" continues to lead the individual ranking of the Nations League in the ClubSwan 50. In the Nations League, Germany remains ahead of Italy after the two podium finishes by "Hatari" and "Earlybird".

Here are the highlights from the final day of the ClubSwan 50 European Championship:

Click here for the results of the ClubSwan 50 Europeans.

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Tatjana Pokorny

Tatjana Pokorny

Sports reporter

Tatjana “tati” Pokorny is the author of nine books. As a reporter for Europe's leading sailing magazine YACHT, she also works as a correspondent for the German Press Agency (DPA), the Hamburger Abendblatt and other national and international media. In summer 2024, Tatjana will be reporting from Marseille on her ninth consecutive Olympic Games. Other core topics have been the America's Cup since 1992, the Ocean Race since 1993, the Vendée Globe and other national and international regattas and their protagonists. Favorite discipline: Portraits of and interviews with sailing personalities. When she started out in sports journalism, she was still intensively involved with basketball and other sports, but sailing quickly became her main focus. The reason? The declared optimist says: “There is no other sport like it, no other sport with such interesting and intelligent personalities, no other sport so diverse, no other sport so full of energy, strength and ideas. Sailing is like a constantly refreshing declaration of love for life."

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