Famous German owner, SAP computer software co-founder Hasso Plattner has a long history in grand prix yacht racing dating back to the dizzy heights of IOR and his Maxis named Morning Glory. Putting a toe into the waters of the TP52 class world he bought the 2014 Phoenix and had such fun racing it that he and daughter Tina joined the circuit for the full 2018 52 SUPER SERIES season with a brand new build Botin designed Phoenix 11. Since then they have never looked back and have become some of the circuit’s most ardent supporters.
In 2018 Hasso and Tina shared the helming at different regattas with Ed Baird in the tactician’s role supported by Tom Burnham also from Quantum Racing. In Zadar in 2018Tina and the Phoenix team came very close to winning the regatta outright but finished an excellent second, just four points shy of the winning tally of Prada Luna Rossa.
In 2019 the Phoenix team ran two boats, but only the newest boat 11, did the full circuit.
The 2020 season may have been shortened by the global pandemic but not until after a truly triumphant first ever 52 SUPER SERIES regatta in the home of the Phoenix teams, Cape Town, South Africa. As local hosts and sponsors the Plattner family laid on a fantastic regatta and on the waters both Phoenix teams performed well, Hasso’s team coming close to winning the event, taking bullets in two of the first three races and finishing second overall.
Travel from South Africa in 2021 was difficult but the Plattners pulled out the stops to have Phoenix 11 on the start line with a team which was mix of sailors who have been based in Europe for the season and a few others. Tony Norris, project manager, subbed in and steered in Puerto Portals, Australia’s 2012 Olympic gold medallist and America’s Cup winner Tom Slingsby was tactician and was supported by Cameron Dunn as strategist.
They won their first regatta title in Puerto Portals in 2022 and were title contenders at the end of the season finishing runners up for the season.
Owners Hasso and Tina Plattner are expected to be back steering Phoenix during this season, Argentina’s gold medallist Santi Lange is tactician and won the circuit with Azzurra in 2019.
