In addition to hosting the Corsair Nationals, Point Roberts Race Week (13 to 17 July) is gearing up to host the spectacular International 6 Metre North Americans at the 5-day big boat event in 2020. In cooperation with the Puget Sound Six Metre Association (dba North American 6 Metre Association), yachts from Canada and the USA will include both Modern and Classic 6 Metres (designed pre-1965) racing as a single division on windward leeward courses set on the beautiful Strait of Georgia in the USA.

“We’re looking forward to a great event,” expressed Nigel Ashman, appointed liaison representing the US and Canadian Association and Championship and Pacific 6mR Yachts Inc. “Given the caliber and experience of the race management team provided at Point Roberts Race Week, we know the 6 Metre Class will be in very capable hands.”

The 6 Metres will participate in the 5-day championship and compete for the Bill Gooderham Canadian–American Trophy, awarded to the overall championship winner and the Olin J. Stephens II Trophy awarded to the highest placing Classics winner. Additionally, a new trophy (that is yet to be named), will be awarded to the highest placing ‘transitional’ Modern, defined as a boat built between January 1, 1966 and September 15, 1979 with an unmodified keel shape (and all other modifications within the rules that are allowed). “At least 6 boats will be in close competition for this,” explains Ashman, “including the recently and immaculately refurbished 1977 Doug Peterson design, Razzle Dazzle, Gary Mull’s St Francis V, St Francis VII andRanger, and Britton Chance’s Frenzy. Peter Norlin, Pelle Pettersen and Ian Howlett designs will also grace the race course with the latest in keel and winglet design.”

The International 6 Metre was first conceived as a Class at the 1907 meeting of the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU), now known as World Sailing. The International Rule, also known as the Metre Rule, was created at this time to establish consistent methods for measuring and rating to ensure fairness in racing and to encourage innovation. This same rule governs 6, 8, and 12 Metre yachts, with the 12 Metres gaining world renowned status as an America’s Cup competitor from 1958 to 1987.

The International 6 Metre was first chosen as an Olympic Class in 1908 and sailed in each Olympics until the last appearance in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland. The 6 Metre was also the boat of choice for a number of other high-profile events including the British–American Team Race Challenge, Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup, the One Ton Cup and the Bermuda Gold Cup. Due to its place on the world stage, the class has historically attracted the very best sailors to its ranks.

In recent years, the Class has seen increased participation in both the Classic and Modern divisions. In 2017, the class drew 45 boats from 11 nations to compete in the World Championships in Vancouver BC Canada.

“For this year’s North Americans in the Classic Division,” explains Ashman, “boats built prior to December 31, 1965 are expected to have a really strong local fleet that is often led by Kimo Mackey sailing the 1935 Saga, designed by Bjarne Aas, that will be exciting to watch. At least 6 other Classics, including the famous Goose, a 1938 S&S design, are also expected to attend.” Commenting about the Moderns he adds, “We expect 2 generations of boats to participate: those with cutting edge winged keels, such as Wildcat, New Sweden II and Arunga and earlier boats with standard fin keels. All boats, Classic and Modern, rate 6 metres and in certain conditions, anything can happen.”

THE RACE MANAGEMENT TEAM

John Abel, Event PRO, Victoria BC
World Sailing International Race Officer (IRO)
Sail Canada National Race Officer (NRO)
Race Management Master Course Conductor (RMMCC)
Club Judge (CJ)

Paul Evenden, RO, Vancouver, BC
Sail Canada National Race Officer (NRO)
Race Management Course Conductor (RMCC)
Club Judge (CJ)

Jared Hickman, Chief Judge, Seattle, WA
World Sailing certified International Judge (IJ)
US Sailing Certified National Judge (NJ)
US Sailing Certified Chief Judge (CJ)
US Sailing Certified Regional Umpire (RU)

Individually, this team has been the PROs, ROs and CJs of Charleston Race Week, Swiftsure, Van Isle 360, Melges 24 Worlds, Hobie North American Championships, BC Summer Games, Six Metre Worlds, US Team Racing Championships, US Match Race Championships, Moore 24 Nationals, San Juan 24 North Americans and many other high profile events. And collectively, they’ll be running the show at Point Roberts Race Week!

ABOUT POINT ROBERTS RACE WEEK

Race Week is a 5-day race event that runs Monday-Friday July 13-17, 2020 and is open to big boats 19’+ racing One Design, PHRF or ORC. With a minimum of 6 boats to comprise a fleet, two race circles will be offered that will include the new addition of course umpires. Now is a great time for fleets in the region to organize and let us know what your race preferences are so we can deliver these to you at PRRW!

MANAGING EDITOR OF NORTHWEST YACHTING MAGAZINE

Recently, I was promoted to Managing Editor of Northwest Yachting, the largest boating publication for powerboaters, sailors and fishermen in the Pacific Northwest. And with SEA Magazine and Boating World Magazine no longer in the picture,Northwest Yachting is the largest boating magazine on the West Coast of North America. I’m thrilled to be at the helm and am looking forward sharing more fun on the waterways of our region! Cheers to 2020!  Schelleen Rathkopf

EVENT LINKS 

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KIDS CAMP

Press Release – 1 October 2019 – London, England – The International Six Metre Class Association (ISMA) is delighted to announce the launch of a ground breaking online class archive at 6metrearchive.org

The Six Metre Class has a long and illustrious history dating back to the introduction of the International Rule in 1907. That history encompasses inclusion in nine Olympic Games from 1908 to 1952, the heyday of the class in the 1920s and 30s when it was perhaps the largest and strongest class in the world and acting as a trial platform for 12 Metre America’s Cup developments from the late 1950s until the late 1980s. Even the very latest Six Metres continue to push the technical development envelope, and a review of Six Metre designs gives a fascinating insight into some of yacht racing’s most radical and important developments.

Recognising that they are the custodians of, and therefore responsible for, a great deal of valuable yachting history, the ISMA members agreed to develop a project to help celebrate and improve access to their heritage. Being an international class, the archive material documenting this rich history is spread all over the world and can be difficult to find. Some is also potentially vulnerable to becoming lost, damaged or forgotten.

In response to these concerns, work was begun at the beginning of 2018 to create the International Six Metre Online Archive. The class has now developed a brand-new website to gather together and digitally preserve these materials.

6metrearchive.org aims to a) locate and digitise the existing archives, b) bring the material together as one resource, c) make it accessible online to all and d) continue to update the archive long term to ensure it remains a current and viable resource.

Creating an accessible and comprehensive online archive requires significant financial investment and specialist technical expertise. The new site has been funded entirely by generous donations from individuals and further donations are sought to help continue the work. Anyone interested in helping to fund the project should contact ISMA Executive Secretary Tim Russell on secretary@6metre.org.

For the archive project to succeed a heritage professional was needed and in Jenny Wittamore the class found the perfect candidate. A professional freelance curator and maritime collections specialist, Jenny has extensive experience in the field including eleven years as a Curator at the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall.

Delivering a website that meets the complex technical needs of the project and is accessible to all also required specialist professionals.  The team at Thirty8 Digital works with museums of all sizes across the UK, including the National Portrait Gallery, the Government Art Collection, Jewish Museum and the Wellcome Collection, and brings the perfect combination of technical ability and design flair. 6metrearchive.org is designed to be fresh, clear and easy to navigate, both for people with a casual interest and serious researchers.

With the foundations in place the hard work of finding and collating material has now begun. Already Jenny has been in contact with hundreds of Six Metre owners, sailors, enthusiasts, designers and boat builders who have submitted materials for inclusion in the archive. Profiles are being developed for each of the boats – more than 1200 in total – and there are sections dedicated to race results, digitised archives, general class history and stories of the Sixes, all meticulously cross referenced and linked.

But this is an ongoing project and community collaboration will be the key to its further development and success.  The more people that use the archive site and add their material and knowledge, the better it will be.

We would encourage anyone familiar with the Six Metre fleet to visit 6metrearchive.org, and anyone with Six Metre documents, photographs, results, publications or stories is asked to submit them. Enquiries, corrections and constructive criticisms are also very much welcomed. All enquiries should be directed to ISMA Archivist Jenny Wittamore on archivist@6metrearchive.org.

The 2020 International 6 Metre European Championship will take place in Sanxenxo on Spain’s stunning Galician coast from 11 to 18 September 2020.

Registration, measurement and the tune-up races will take place from 11 to 13 September. The championship races will take place over the five days 14 – 18 September, with a closing ceremony on 19 September.

For those who are not already familiar with Sanxenxo, it is an absolutely stunning sailing venue on the north east coast of Spain.  The town itself is a popular and very smart holiday town with excellent accommodation options, a wide range of restaurants and bars, terrific shopping and glorious sandy beaches.

The Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo is one of Spain’s premier yacht clubs, located in a spectacular modern purpose built harbour-side clubhouse with its own restaurant and marina facilities.

Weather-wise you can expect daytime temperatures in the mid-twenty degrees celsius, lots of sunshine and perfect 6 Metre sailing breezes.

Further information about the regatta will be published shortly but please save the date and to find out more about the venue visit www.rcnsanxenxo.com

The minutes of the 2019 International Six Metre Association Annual General Meeting held in Hanko, Finland on Wednesday 7th August 2019 are now available to view online.

Sadly the final day of racing at the 2019 Sinebrychoff 6 Metre World Championship in Hanko was blighted by light winds for the second day running and no racing was possible. Fortunately six of the eight programmed races had been completed and the winners of the Championship could be declared.

2019 Sinebrychoff International 6 Metre World Champion was confirmed as Philippe Durr helming SUI77 Junior, crewed by Nicholas Berthoud, Kaspar Schadegg, Yann Marillet and Alexandre Nicole. The competition had been fierce and at the final prize giving a delighted Philippe Durr paid tribute to his fellow competitors and in particular to second placed Patrick Monteiro de Barros, sailing POR4 Seljm, crewed by Henrique Anjos, Gasto Brun, Joao Matos Rosa and Rodrigo Vantacich, and third placed Hugo Stenbeck helming SUI132 Sophie Racing with Martin Westerdahl, Bernardo Freitas, Lars Linger and Concalo Ribeiro, who finished the regatta on equal points with Durr and only lost out to him on countback.

His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain’s ESP Bribon Gallant, helmed jointly by His Majesty and Pedro Campos and crewed by Inaqui Castaner, Alberto Viejo, Ropi Alvarez and Ross MacDonald, safely defended her Classic 6 Metre Worlds title by a seven point margin. As His Majesty and the team came to the stage to collect the prestigious Djinn Trophy there were rousing cheers and hearty applause as the King’s fellow competitors recognised the incredible achievement of this 81 year young sailor who only took up serious 6 Metre sailing in 2017 and has already won the European Championship and now two World titles. Second place in the Classic Division went to FIN67 Djinn helmed by Karl-Gustav Pihl and crewed by Georg Tallberg, Thomas Castre’n, Oscar Andersin and Hema Virkunen. Championship Regatta Chairman Ossi Paija and his local crew of Thomas Hallberg, Jonas Renlund, Sam Fagerlund and Kimmo Vijamaa sailing FIN80 Astree III took the final step on the podium in the Classic Division.

There are also a number of special trophies awarded at the 6 Metre Worlds and the first of these to be presented was the Lucie Trophy, for the highest placed boat with a female crew member. This year’s winner was not only a crew member, but also the only female helm in the competition. Violeta Alvarez was deservedly delighted to receive the trophy which not only recognised her own impressive achievement, but also that of her crew and her boat. Stella is the most recent 6 Metre constructed and this was her first international championship. Designed by Juan-K and first launched in 2017 the revolutionary design initially took time to optimise and master, but this week she signalled loud and clear that she has the ability to perform consistently well in both windy and light conditions, finishing the championship fifth overall – no mean achievement in a fleet of this exceptional quality.

The Baum & Konig Trophy for the highest placing boat in the Classic division with wood spars, white sails and a racing flag, and the KSSS Cup for the highest placed boat built to the first or second edition of the 6 Metre rule was won by US55 Lucie, helmed by Craig Healy of the St Francis Yacht Club. Built in 1931 to a Clinton H Crane design at the Henry B Nevins Boatyard in New York for the legendary America’s Cup skipper Briggs Cunningham who raced her to considerable success. She was fully restored by Matt Brooks just in time for the 2011 6 Metre Worlds in Helsinki and is without doubt one of the most beautiful classic sixes sailing today.

The Nelson Trophy for the highest placed boat designed between 1966 and 1979 was won by Canadian Adam Henley’s KS7 Toogooloowoo V, a 1970 Sparkman & Stephens design which is of particular interest as a first concept of trying to separate the rudder and keel. She was initially very successful but was quickly overtaken by newer boats during this period of very rapid design progress in the class.

The final formal presentation was of the Astor Cup, which is awarded to the highest placed boat with a crew member aged 25 years or younger, which this year went to Peter Harrison’s K12 St Francis IX, helmed by Andy Beadsworth and crewed by Colin Murray, Jana Zimmerhakl, Vince Bartlett and Misky Torvar.

In closing the prize giving, Race Officer Mikael Lindquist thanked the competitors for travelling from around the world to Hanko to compete and for being such wonderful competitors. The sailors in turn showed their genuine appreciation for the terrific job that Mikael and his team from the Hangö Segelförening have done in running the event despite the at times very challenging conditions.

And so the 2019 Sinebrychoff 6 Metre World Championship came to a close and the sailors set off on their journeys home with great memories of races sailed, stories told and friendships made and with happy smiles on their faces. The next international championship for the class will be the 2020 6 Metre European Championship, to be hosted by the Real Nautico de Sanxenxo on Spain’s spectacular Galician coast during the last two weeks of August 2020. Further details about the regatta will be published shortly at http://www.6metre.com.