52 Super Series: "Platoon Aviation" with double victory to Baiona silver

Eleven teams from nine nations were challenged in ten races at the Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup. With victories in the last two races on Saturday, Markus Wieser and the crew on Harm Müller-Spreer's "Platoon Aviation" catapulted themselves into second place. Only the US team American Magic Quantum Racing was unstoppable this week. But for "Platoon Aviation", second place was welcome compensation for the unsuccessful start to the season, in which the otherwise regularly successful German boat failed to finish higher than eleventh and last place in Saint-Tropez.

"Platoon Aviation" in forward gear

Things went much better in Baiona, Spain. After initially mixed race days with 4th, 10th, 9th and 4th places, the team led by helmsman Markus Wieser and tactician Vasco Vascotto hit form. Wieser, who stood in for the owner and helmsman Harm Müller-Spreer, who was unable to attend three consecutive events in the 52 Super Series, quickly got back into his role after years without racing the TP52.

The team on "Platoon Aviation" followed up with 2nd, 1st, 8th and 4th place before winning twice on the final day and securing Baiona silver. Even more important than the second place on the podium behind American Magic QUantum Racing was the obvious turnaround. "After Saint-Tropez, it was good for the team spirit to see that we have such opportunities. That motivates everyone in the crew and also in the Shore team. I said to everyone: let's have fun and enjoy sailing. We did a good job," said Markus Wieser after his first regatta on "Platoon Aviation".

Can you imagine how bad we felt after Saint-Tropez?" Vasco Vascotto

Italian "Platoon Aviation" tactician Vasco Vascotto commented on the crew's morale: "It was really bad. We weren't happy with our performance and unfortunately there weren't many races. If you make one mistake, it's easy to make another, and that's exactly how it went. It was important to stop the downward trend here." The team succeeded in doing this convincingly, even if challenges remain.

With good positioning against light wind weakness

Vasco Vascotto said: "We need to get a bit faster, and there are still a few things we need to do in the future." The light wind weakness of the Botin design "Platoon Aviation" is not off the table even after the success of Baiona. Markus Wieser said: "We were also a little nervous today on the final day because we have the feeling that we are not fast enough in light winds. We always have to go above Target, otherwise we won't go."

The two race wins on the final day, Wieser mused, "could distort the picture somewhat". By this Wieser meant that the two formidable first places on the final day were not due to outstanding speed in the seven to ten knots of wind, but above all to the successful starts and the good positioning of "Platoon Aviation" on the slightly favoured right-hand side and there on free lanes.

"We sailed really well today. You had to go to the right, everyone knew that. I think the others did too. You just have to make sure you get to the right because there was a bit more pressure there. And there was less power on the right. You have to get out of the start well and have a clear lane to the right. Then sailing can be so easy," said Wieser, summarising the team's gala.

52 Super Series: Back to the old Finn for the World Championship?

Team Platoon Aviation is now considering possibly swapping the new fin received from Botin for the old one for the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais. Markus Wieser says: "We're not really happy with the new fin. We're now considering whether or not we should go back to the old modified fin from six months ago. We'll have to decide that before Cascais."

The background to these considerations is the expected more powerful wind conditions at the World Championships in Portugal at the beginning of July. Markus Wieser explains: "For Cascais, when there is wind, you don't actually need such a thick fin. We can probably sail fast with a thinner one. We'll probably screw the old one back underneath for the World Championships."

Markus Wieser said that he himself had been on a steep learning curve this week. His summary: "I first have to learn to steer the boat myself. It's not easy, but we've got better every day. We have to drive more on the move. We had to learn that over the week."

The pieces of the puzzle for success in the 52 Super Series

To do this, the team delved deep into the figures, as Wieser explains: "We looked at the data every evening, compared it with that of last year and with that of other boats. We sometimes sat together for hours in debriefing sessions. We analysed what we could do better and how. In the end, we've put the pieces of the puzzle together quite well this week and are already quite satisfied."

With second place in Bainona, "Platoon Aviation" has catapulted itself to fourth place in the season championship with a total of 80 points after eleventh place in Saint-Tropez. The table is dominated by American Magic Quantum Racing (51 points) ahead of their compatriots on "Sled" (71 points) and the Italian team Alkedo (77 points). Click here for the season championship table and the individual event results.

In just a few weeks' time, the 52 Super Series will continue with the third of five regattas for the season with the highlight of the year: The Rolex TP52 World Championship will take place in the Atlantic waters of Cascais from 1 to 6 July. The medal chances for "Platoon Avtion" from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein have increased significantly after the Baiona success. "The medal chances are there. If we didn't have them, we wouldn't need to compete," said Markus Wieser, who will be steering "Platoon Aviation" both at the World Championships and in Puerto Portals in mid-August.

Final day, two races, two victories for "Platoon Aviation" - the team is strengthened as it heads for the TP52 World Championship off Cascais at the beginning of July: