Rolex TP52 World Championship: "Platoon" wins in the final thriller - World Champion!

Hamburg entrepreneur Harm Müller-Spreer and his team on "Platoon" have won the TP52 World Championship off Barcelona. After a furious final spurt, one point ahead of the Turkish "Provezza" was enough for their third triumph after 2017 and 2019 after eight races on Saturday. The 52 Super Series is regarded as the leading international professional series for monohull racing yachts and is also known as the "little sister of the America's Cup" because many Cup contenders are in action here.

Winning three world championships in this class is not a matter of course. It's incredibly difficult." Harm Müller-Spreer

Harm Müller-Spreer won the world championship with tactician Vasco Vascotto. Two-time circumnavigator and professional sailor Michael Müller from Kiel was another German sailor in the international "Platoon" crew alongside the owner and helmsman from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. "We really gave it our all today. Winning three world championships in this class is not a matter of course. It's incredibly difficult! All the teams have once again upgraded significantly for this season. The 52 Super Series brings together the professionals of the sailing world," said Müller-Spreer.

After eight races on Barcelona's upcoming sailing stage for the America's Cup 2024, the German "Platoon" (25 points) took silver behind the "Provezza" (26 points), which continues to lead the season standings after four regattas, ahead of the British "Gladiator" (34 points). Hasso and Tina Plattner's "Phoenix" (39 points) sailed to fourth place in the Rolex TP52 World Championship ahead of the American record winners from this season's disenchanted Team Quantum Racing powered by American Magic (43 points).

Downwind, a sheet came undone. We were just able to manage it." Harm Müller-Spreer

The final day of racing on 26 August was thrilling with the last two races, as Harm Müller-Spreer told YACHT online in the first interview after returning to port: "Our first race at midday was good. We were fast and managed to win. That put us in the lead before the decider. In the second race, the eighth and last overall, 'Provezza' was very good again. Downwind, a sheet came undone. We were just able to manage it as we went round the buoy. We were fourth, fifth. That wouldn't have been enough..."

Instead of giving up, the "Platoon" crew fought on. "We just didn't want to believe that we'd lost it now," Harm Müller-Spreer reported on the mood on board. "We put the pedal to the metal, jibed back in and caught them all the way. Then the wind shifted back to the right - good for us..." At the finish line, second place behind "Provezza" was enough for the team on the German yacht to take the overall victory, which was loudly celebrated on board.

The new keel has made "Platoon" faster

Harm Müller-Spreer described "many small things" as the key to success. These include the Italian tactician Vasco Vascotto, who joined the team this season. "We first had to get used to each other a bit, but then it went very well," says Harm Müller-Spreer. His team has also built a new, larger keel for this 11th season of the 52 Super League. "We didn't look good last year compared to Quantum. That was a good decision," says the owner.

Harm Müller-Spreer builds a new TP52

Harm Müller-Spreer will continue his involvement in the 52 Super League next year with a great deal of commitment and the same crew. To this end, he is currently building a new boat at King Marine, which is due to take to the water for the first time at the end of March. It is a Botín design, even though Müller-Spreer would have loved to continue the successful collaboration with Jubel/Vrolijk. "However, after my spontaneous decision in Mahon on Menorca, this was not possible in terms of time. And I didn't want to start with the new boat halfway through the season next year," says the Hamburg native, who will land back in his home town the evening after the victory ceremony.

Want to relive the "Platoon" triumph in the exciting replay? Click here for the broadcast of the final day of the Rolex TP52 World Championship:

Click here for the results of the Rolex TP52 World Championship.