The Clube Naval de Cascais Race Committee had their work cut out on the third day of the 2022 International Six Metre European Championship as overcast skies and light and shifting winds were the order of the day. It was a day of close racing and lots of place changes with some new faces gracing the front of the fleet.

With five races now completed Portugal’s Patrick Montiero de Barros’ Seljm continues to lead the Open Division by two points. Vasco Pereira, who is also from Cascais and is sailing Scoundrel One, has moved up from fourth to second, three points ahead of Violeta Alvarez’s Stella which remains in third. Switzerland’s Ginkgo Too helmed by Jan Eckert drops from second to fourth and fellow Swiss Dieter Schoen’s Momo rounds out the top five again.

In the Classic Division Spain’s Bribon 500, helmed by Ross Macdonald continues to lead overall. Trandafir Catalin’s Essentia from Romania and Andy & Lisa Postle’s Nirvana from Great Britain are neck and neck on points with Essentia claiming second on countback. Germany’s Thomas Kuhmann aboard Hanko III is lying fourth, just one point ahead of Mauricio Sanchez Bella’s Titia from Spain.

The CNC’s International Race Officers José Cancella de Abreu and Miguel Amaral, who this week have been working with Alejandro Martin de Pazos from the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo, had briefed the competitors to expect a delay to racing but to anticipate a 6 knot west-south-westerly wind that would clock right when it did fill in. The committee went afloat to track the situation and timed calling the boats to the race area perfectly, getting race five of the eight race series under way just over an hour later than originally planned.

As predicted the wind did indeed fill in from the west-south-west at around 6 knots and clocked right, and the mark layers kept up with the shifts masterfully to give the best race possible. The Open Division was able to complete a full two lap windward/leeward course, but the Committee wisely decided to finish the Classic Division at the second weather mark as the wind was starting to destabilise again.

In the Open Division some new faces graced the front of the fleet for the first time this week. The Portuguese team of Vasco Pereira aboard Scoundrel One is new to Sixes but has been gaining experience rapidly and today put that and their local knowledge to good use, claiming their first race victory. The team includes three time Olympian Diogo Cayolla and top dinghy sailors Tiago Morais and Diego Barros, who is also a successful Dragon crew. Following them home was Six Metre veteran Jeremy Thorpe’s Battle Cry, with Stephan Lindberg’s Jane Anne and Momo hard on his heels. Regatta leader Seljm took fifth, adding another solid score to their card.

After racing Vasco Pereira was full of praise for the class, his crew and the event, saying; “I like it a lot, it’s an amazing boat and an amazing crew and a lot of fun so far and good races. I think we were very fortunate today, we were able to do a very good race. We started very strong, we started in the front, and we kept it until the end of the race, so a good upgrade from yesterday. Now we want to race the best that we can and hope for the best.”

In the Classic Division Essentia, whose crew includes Olympic Bronze Medallists Hugo Rocha and Eric Jespersen, got a spectacular start and led the race all the way to the finish. Following them home was Jespersen’s Olympic helm Ross Macdonald in Bribon 500, whose crew also includes fellow Olympian Alejandro Abascal, with Titia third, Nirvana fourth and Hanko III fifth.

Five races, the minimum number required to validate the championship, have now been completed, there are three more races to sail in the remaining two days and once a sixth race has been completed a single discard will be introduced.

The forecast for day five is for stronger north-north-westerly winds and the Race Committee has confirmed that it intends to get racing underway at the earlier time of 13:00 with races six and seven of the eight race series programmed. Racing continues until Saturday 10 September.

Further information about the Championship can be found at the event website, at http://www.6metre.com and on the ISMA Facebook page .

For additional information and images please contact ISMA Press Officer Fiona Brown on fiona.brown@fionabrown.com or +44 7711 718470
Provisional Top Five Results After Five Races

Open Division

1st – POR4 – Seljm – Patrick Monteiro de Barros – 3, 1, 7, 1, 5 = 17
2nd – GBR86 – Scoundrel One – Vasco Pereira – 4, 4, 2, 8, 1 = 19
3rd – ESP16 – Stella – Violeta Alvarez – 2, 9, 3, 2, 6 = 22
4th – SUI140 – Ginkgo Too – Jan Eckert – 5, 2, 4, 3, 8 = 22
5th – SUI142 – Momo – Dieter Schoen – 1, 6, 1, DSQ(11), 4 = 23

Classic Division

1st – ESP16 – Bribon 500 – Ross Macdonald – 2, 1, 1, 1, 2 = 7
2nd – ROU65 – Essentia – Catalin Trandafir – 4, 4, 2, 3, 1 = 14
3rd – GBR33 – Nirvana – Andy & Lisa Postle – 1, 3, 4, 2, 4 = 14
4th – USA96 – Hanko III – Thomas Kuhmann – 3, 5, 3, 4, 5 = 20
5th – ESP72 – Titia – Mauricio Sanchez Bella – 6, 2, 5, 5, 3 = 21

FULL RESULTS

FACEBOOK

VIDEOS

7 September 2022 – Cascais, Portugal – Cascais delivered more glorious conditions for day two of the International Six Metre European Championship 2022. Two further races, races three and four of the eight race series, were completed in an 6-10 knot westerly. It was a day of snakes and ladders in the Open Division where Patrick Monteiro de Barros’s Seljm continues to lead the regatta by a narrow two point margin and close rival Dieter Schoen’s Momo was disqualified from race four. In the Classic Division Ross Macdonald and the crew of Bribon 500 dominated the day to win both races and give themselves a five point lead at the half way stage in the regatta.

For overnight Open Division leader Seljm, a 1988 Pelle Petterson design that finished third at the 2018 and 2021 European Championships, the day did not get off to a great start, picking the wrong side of the beat and rounding the first mark near the bottom of the fleet. They did their best to pull back but could do no better than seventh. Up ahead Dieter Schoen’s brand new Judel-Vrolijk designed Momo stormed away to victory with Vasco Pereira’s 1986 Petterson designed Scoundrel One just pipping Violeta Alvarez’s 2017 Juan Kouyoumdjian designed Stella for second on the line. Jan Eckert’s Ginkgo Too, a 2020 Javier Cela design, took fourth and defending European Champion Thisbe, another Petterson boat, this time from 1987 and owned by Michel Teweles and Philip Durr, finished fifth.

The tables appeared to be turned in Open Division race four where Momo was over the line for the second time in the regatta following a start line incident with Vasco Pereira’s Scoundrel One and had to spend the race playing catch up, crossing the line in sixth place. Seljm won the pin end at the start and headed off on port tack, making the most of their local knowledge to lead by the first mark. From here they confidently defended all the way to the finish and their second win of the regatta. Stella and Ginkgo Too had a great battle around the course with Stella taking second on the line. The New York Yacht Club’s Stephan Lindberg sailing Jane Anne, a 1985 Petterson design which finished third at the 2006 European in Flensburgh, crossed the line fourth with Jeremy Thorpe’s Battle Cry, an Ian Howlett design from 1988, fifth.

Back ashore though that start line incident was to come back to haunt Momo as she found herself being protested by Scoundrel One. The International Jury, chaired by Ireland’s Gordon Davies, found that Momo, as windward boat, had failed to keep clear of Scoundrel One breaking RRS11 and she was disqualified.

In the Open Division overall standings Seljm retains her lead by a two point margin. Ginkgo Too now lies in second, while Stella has moved up into third with a three point delta over the locally based Scoundrel One and Momo now rounds out the top five overall.

After sailing Stella’s Violeta Alvarez talked about her hopes for the remainder of the regatta, saying; “It’s lovely to be here in Cascais. I love the club and I love the water and I’m delighted to be sailing here. My strategy is to follow the tactician, do as I’m told and try to keep the boat fast. I would like to be in the top three really. There are a lot of very good sailors here who have a lot of experience and are more knowledgable than me so for me it would be a great achievement.”

While Bribon 500, which won the 2017 and ’18 Worlds and ’19 and ’21 Europeans with HM King Juan Carlos of Spain at the helm, dominated the Classics today with two wins, the battle for the remaining podium positions remains fierce. In race three Catalin Trandafir’s Essentia, a 1956 Sparkman and Stephens design formerly known as Buzzy III which was purchased by her current owner earlier this year, took second place from Thomas Kuhmann’s 1955 Bjarne Aas designed Hanko III. Andy and Lisa Postle’s Nirvana, a stunning replica of a 1939 Olin Stephens design, finished fourth.

In Classic Division race four Nirvana and Essentia did battle all the way round the course with Nirvana eventually getting the upper hand to follow Bribon 500 across the line, with Essentia third, Hanko III fourth and Maurizio Sanchez Bella’s Titia fifth. In the Classic overall standings Bribon 500 now has a five point lead over Nirvana, with Essentia three points behind in third, Hanko III fourth and Tita fifth.

After racing Andy Postle was full of praise for the racing in Cascais. “We’d heard lots of scare stories about strong winds and big seas, but we were reassured by Patrick [Monteiro de Barros of Seljm] that conditions would be much more moderate at this time of year so we decided to come. The three days of the King Juan Carlos and the racing so far this week have been perfect so we made the right decision!”

Back ashore the crews once agin enjoyed delicious complimentary local wines and foods on the club’s waterfront terrace. The après sailing is an important part of the Six Metre culture and is the perfect opportunity for friends old and new to mingle. With sailors from across the globe competing this week its a truly multinational gathering.

Furthest travelled are the Woodoo crew from Port Madison Yacht Club in Seattle, Washington. The Pacific North West is a stronghold of Six Metre sailing and this team have long supported the international circuit, regularly attending regattas in Europe with crews of family and friends, Their crew this week comprises Andy and Erin Parker, Kerry Sherwin, Jenny Borschoff and Richard James. Woodoo is a 1991 Bergström and Ridder design and won the closely contested 1991 Six Metre World Cup, with her elegant lines and gleaming varnished hull she is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful boats racing in the Open Division this week.

The forecast for day three is for more light to moderate westerly winds and the Race Committee has confirmed that it intends to get racing underway at 14:00 with races five and six of the series programmed. Racing for the Championship continues until Saturday 10 September. A total of eight races are scheduled with five being required to declare a valid championship. Once six races have been completed a single race discard will be introduced.

Further information about the Championship can be found at the event website, at http://www.6metre.com and on the ISMA Facebook page .

For additional information and images please contact ISMA Press Officer Fiona Brown on fiona.brown@fionabrown.com or +44 7711 718470

Provisional Top Five Results After Four Races

Open Division

1st – POR4 – Seljm – Patrick Monteiro de Barros – 3, 1, 7, 1 = 12
2nd – SUI140 – Ginkgo Too – Jan Eckert – 5, 2, 4, 3 = 14
3rd – ESP16 – Stella – Violeta Alvarez – 2, 9, 3, 2 = 16
4th – GBR86 – Scoundrel One – Vasco Pereira – 4, 4, 2, 8 = 18
5th – SUI142 – Momo – Dieter Schoen – 1, 6, 1, DSQ(11) = 19

Classic Division

1st – ESP16 – Bribon 500 – Ross Macdonald – 2, 1, 1, 1 = 5
2nd – GBR33 – Nirvana – Andy & Lisa Postle – 1, 3, 4, 2 = 10
3rd – ROU65 – Essentia – Catalin Trandafir – 4, 4, 2, 3 = 13
4th – USA96 – Hanko III – Thomas Kuhmann – 3, 5, 3, 4 = 15
5th – ESP72 – Titia – Mauricio Sanchez Bella – 6, 2, 5, 5 = 18

FULL RESULTS

FACEBOOK

VIDEOS

Cascais, Portugal – 6 September 2022 – The opening day of the 2022 Six Metre European Championship in Cascais produced champagne sailing conditions enabling both scheduled races to be completed in an eight to twelve knot westerly breeze which clocked gently right as the afternoon wore on.

A third in race one and a convincing win in race two put Portuguese Olympian Patrick Monteiro de Barros and his Pelle Petterson designed Seljm into the lead in the Open Division. Reigning Six Metre World Champion Momo, with owner Dieter Schoen of Switzerland at the helm, won the first racing in style from Violeta Alvarez’s Stella but was then over eager on the second start and had to return. Momo dug deep and fought back to sixth place, putting her into second overall. Fellow Swiss Jan Eckert’s Ginkgo Too finished fifth and second so counts the same points as Momo, but takes third place overall on countback.

In the Classic Division Ross Macdonald at the helm of Bribon 500 and Andy & Lisa Postle’s Nirvana gave notice that they will be the boats to beat. Nirvana took the first race from Bribon 500 with Thomas Kuhmann’s Hanko III third. In race two Bribon 500 took an early lead on the fleet which she then extend impressively all the way to the finish. Mauricio Sanchez Bella’s Titia took second and Nirvana was third. In the Classic Division overall standings Bribon 500 has a single point lead over Nirvana with Titia and Hanko III both counting eight points but Titia lying third on countback.

After sailing Patrick Monteiro de Barros commented “It was Cascais at its best. It was very good sailing, steady wind and it shifted a little bit but a great sailing day. We had a very good start and we had a strategy to go to the right which normally is the favoured angle. We had very good speed, the boat is going well, the crew is fantastic.”

The defending European Open Division Champion crew of Thisbee, owned by Michel Teweles and Philip Durr, came off the water relatively pleased with a fourth and third place, but were protest by Seljm regarding a tacking incident in race one. The jury found that Thisbe had been on starboard and converging with Seljm on port. Seljm was taking appropriate avoiding action as the boats closed, but Thisbe then tacked into the path of Seljm forcing them to luff head to wind to avoid a collision. As a result Thisbe was disqualified and ended the day down in eighth place.

Olympic Flying Dutchman Gold Medallist Alejandro Abascal of Bribon 500 was also very pleased with the racing conditions today. “It has been a very nice day. Again very nice wind. We expected lighter winds but we had almost 13 knots so it was a very good day for sailing. I hope tomorrow we have the same as today as this wind is nice for us so more like today will be perfect.”

As well as running great racing the Clube Naval de Cascais is also doing a great job of the organisation and hospitality. The boats are moored in the Cascais Marina and each day club RIBs are on standby to tow boats which do not have their own support boat in and out of their berths. The club puts a high priority on the environment and runs an impressive online notice board and notification system to ensure paper is not wasted. A cold water station is located by the entrance to the club so that competitors can refill reusable water bottles at any time and everyone has been asked not to use chemicals when washing off the boats and to keep rubbish, and particularly single use plastics, to a minimum. The Portuguese are famous for their hospitality and the CNC is welcoming the sailors home each day with a generous spread of canapés and delicious local wines and beers, much to the delight of everyone competing.

The forecast for day two is for more light to moderate winds and the Race Committee has confirmed that it intends to get racing underway at 14:00 with races three and four of the series scheduled. Racing for the Championship continues until Saturday 10 September. A total of eight races are scheduled with five being required to declare a valid championship. Once six races have been completed a single race discard will be introduced.

Provisional Top Five Results After Two Races

Open Division

1st – POR4 – Seljm – Patrick Monteiro de Barros – 3, 1 = 4
2nd – SUI142 – Momo – Dieter Schoen – 1, 6 = 7
3rd – SUI140 – Ginkgo Too – Jan Eckert – 5, 2 = 7
4th – GBR86 – Scoundrel One – Vasco Pereira – 4, 4 = 8
5th – ESP16 – Stella – Violeta Alvarez – 2, 9 = 11

Classic Division

1st – ESP16 – Bribon 500 – Ross Macdonald – 2, 1 = 3
2nd – GBR33 – Nirvana – Andy & Lisa Postle – 1, 3 = 4
3rd – ESP72 – Titia – Mauricio Sanchez Bella – 6, 2 = 8
4th – USA96 – Hanko III – Thomas Kuhmann – 3, 5 = 8
5th – ROU65 – Essentia – Catalin Trandafir – 4, 4 = 8