Things got off to a good start on 14 October in Saint-Tropez for Marcus Brennecke and his “Hatari” team. At the inaugural Cape 31 Gold Cup, the seven-strong crew made a strong start in light and shifty winds, whilst several of their rivals at the annual summit of the booming new racing class crossed the line too early.
A light-wind start to the Cape 31 Gold Cup
Despite the difficult wind conditions, the race committee led by Clément Carnevali did a good job of ensuring that the first day did not end without at least one race for the record fleet of 28 boats. Alongside “Hatari”, Ahmet Eker’s “Eker Süzme”, Alessandro Rombelli’s “Stig”, Guy Gillon’s “Khumbu” and Christian Zürrer’s “Black Star” also got off to a good start.
Marcus Brennecke, who has only just has announced his entry into the 52 Super Series reported on Wednesday evening in Saint-Tropez: “We had – just like ‘Eker Süzme’ to leeward of us, who finished second – a very good start. Then Nic read the pressure and the shifts well, so we were first round the windward mark and were able to hold onto our lead.”
"Nic pulled off something magical, which meant we were in the lead at the first turning mark and stayed there." Marcus Brennecke
The owner and helmsman, competing for the Bavarian Yacht Club and the North German Regatta Club, also highlighted the keys to their opening victory at the Cape 31 Gold Cup: “We had comparatively good speed, very good manoeuvres and good body movements.” Alongside Marcus Brennecke, Nic Asher, Elliot Willis, Will Ryan, Joe Drake, Ole Burzinski – who won gold in the Star class with Max Kohlhoff in 2023 – and Carl Rupp sailed to a promising first race victory.
Things didn’t go well for all GER boats on day one
The battle for the podium places behind the winning “Hatari” was won by the Turkish “Eker Süzme” and the Swiss “Black Star”, crewed by Christian Zürrer. However, Marcus Brennecke cautioned against premature celebrations immediately after the victory: “We’ve got twelve races. A lot can still happen.”
As any experienced regatta sailor knows: “It’s always great to sail in a large fleet with fantastic competitors, but that’s what makes the start so difficult, especially in such light winds. You have to get off the starting line well and take your fate into your own hands. We caught exactly the right wind shifts and sailed well downwind too. Great teamwork! I must thank my team, who carried me through the race.”
For the other German boats, the first and only race on day one of the Cape 31 Gold Cup went only partly well: Nikolai Burkhart’s “Gecko d’or” finished eighth, whilst Stefan Jentzsch’s “Black Pearl” was initially in 18th place on Wednesday evening. Michael Berghorn’s “halbtrocken 3.1” will begin its comeback on Thursday from 21st place.
Cape 31 Gold Cup: a packed programme of races expected for day two
Johannes Wackerhagen’s “lil’Desna” and Christian Schwörer’s “La Pericolosa” – which had last finished on the podium off Hyères – had to settle for 25th and 26th place for the time being. The newest Cape 31 team led by Max Augustin, sailing “H.E.A.T.”, will start day two from 27th place. Click here for the results of Race 1 of the Cape 31 fleet.
The regatta will resume on 15 October. The first warning signal is scheduled for 10.30 am. “Good conditions are forecast for tomorrow. So we’re expecting at least three races,” said Marcus Brennecke. From six races onwards, one result may be discarded in the Cape 31 Gold Cup.
A look back! Marcus Brennecke won his first Cape 31 event last year and explains what appeals to him about the class:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
