The 2023 Six Metre Class World Championships drew to a close on the The Royal Yacht Squadron’s famous lawn, the sailors were in the presence of His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain to celebrate their champions and enjoy one final evening together in a elegant prize giving reception at sunset.
Doyle-powered Momo claiming the bronze medal in the week long regatta in a class that has seen a considerable resurgence in recent years. The Swiss flagged team skippered by Dieter Schoen and crewed by Dirk De Ridder, Ross Andrew Halcrow, Victor Manuel Mariño Prieto, Jules Salter and Markus Wieser, had a hard fought battle in the final race in light conditions. The team were coached by German Olympian Frithjof Kleen.
The class attracting new owners, new designers, new builders and new sailors. It is exciting to see new teams and new boats join the fleet, and it is a testament to the careful management and control of the Class by the International Six Metre Association, that yachts separated in age by a century continue to race together, and that a thirty year old wooden boat can still win the World Championship against her most modern composite sisters. A quick glance down the top five in the Open Division confirms that they were built in 1989, 2017, 2021, 1981 and 2020 respectively. The oldest boat in the competition, the 97-year young Sioma, finished in a very creditable ninth place in the Classic division.
International Six Metre President Louis Heckly was full of praise for all who had made the regatta possible, saying, “Firstly, to my fellow competitors, without whom we would have no regatta, I say thank you for your continuing commitment to the Six Metre Class and for travelling from across the Globe to Cowes to be part of this 50th Anniversary World Championship. Thank you too to the British Six Metre Association, and to the Royal Yacht Squadron team who have made this such a special celebration for us. So many people have given so much time to make the event a resounding success, but on behalf of the Class and the competitors I would particularly like to thank Race Officer Peter Saxton and his wonderful team who have been exemplary. They really did a fantastic job of getting us one race on Wednesday and they missed no opportunity to make the game fair and keep the competition wide open to the very last race.”.
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