International Six Metre Association members have officially selected the venues for two future major championships following the ISMA Online Vote held on 26 May 2026.
Club Nàutic S’Arenal in Mallorca, Spain has been chosen to host the 2028 International Six Metre European Championships, while the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dublin, Ireland has been selected as the venue for the 2031 International Six Metre World Championships.
ISMA President Louis Heckly welcomed the outcome of the vote: “We are very pleased to confirm these two outstanding venues for future International Six Metre championships. Both clubs presented excellent proposals and demonstrated a strong commitment to the class. The ISMA looks forward to working closely with both organising authorities over the coming years.”
Speaking on behalf of the Royal Irish Yacht Club, Joe Conaway said: “We are honoured by the confidence shown by ISMA members and very excited to welcome the Six Metre fleet to Dun Laoghaire in 2031. The RIYC is committed to delivering a memorable World Championships both on and off the water. The 2031 Six Metre World Championships will form an important part of our bi-centenary celebrations in 2031 and the sight of these beautiful boats racing once again in Dublin Bay will leave a lasting memory.”
Club Nàutic S’Arenal President José Ramón Picó commented: “It is a great privilege for Club Nàutic S’Arenal to host the 2028 European Championships. Mallorca has a long tradition in international sailing, and we are looking forward to welcoming the Six Metre class for what we hope will be a fantastic championship.”
The exact dates for both events will be announced at a later stage.
In the meantime, the International Six Metre calendar continues with the 2026 European Championships in Geneva this July, followed by the 2027 International Six Metre World Championships in Helsinki from 8 to 14 August. The 2029 International Six Metre World Championships will take place at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Italy.
A local fleet of 12 International Six Metre yachts from the host club Société Nautique de Genève will take on entries from around the world this summer at the International Six Metre 2026 European Championships, which are scheduled to take place on Switzerland’s Lake Geneva from July 19–24.
40 entries have been received so far for the championships, including an additional eight Swiss-flagged yachts from clubs across the country, as well as entries from Spain, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, and the United States.
As many as 50 crews are expected to compete in the regatta, at which two International Six Metre European titles will be awarded: the Open European Championship for those yachts constructed and/or certificated since January 1, 1966; and the Classic European Championship for those yachts constructed and/or certificated before that date.
Amongst the entries received so far are all three of the podium finishers in the Classic Division at the previous International Six Metre European Championships held in Sanxenxo, Spain in 2024, when His Majesty Juan Carlos of Spain defended his title aboard Bribon (designed by Arvid Laurin and built in 1947), ahead of Ossi Paija from Finland who skippered Astree III (designed by Bjarne Aas and built in 1959) to second place, and Spain’s Titia, skippered by Mauricio Sanchez-Bella Carswell, in third.
In the Open Division, Jeremy Thorp’s British crew on Battlecry (designed by Ian Howlett and built in 1988) will be looking to improve on their silver medal placing in 2024, as will Loic Forestier, skipper of the Swiss entry Junior (designed by Pelle Petterson and built in 1981), who finished third in Sanxenxo.
Over the years since its inception in 1907 when the International Rule – also known as the Metre Rule – was first introduced, the International Six Metre Class has managed to combine elegant and graceful design with leading-edge innovation.
Nowadays, there are over 300 modern and classic Six Metres racing internationally with national fleets across mainland Europe, North America, and Canada.
Switzerland has long been a stronghold for the class and the Société Nautique de Genève and its members have played a key role in its development – and continue to do so today. There is a distinct synergy between the classic styling and sailing style of International Six Metre yachts and the serene natural beauty of Lake Geneva and its surroundings.
The International Six Metre 2026 European Championships will be preceded by the Swiss National Championship from July 15–17. The official opening ceremony of the European Championships will take place on Saturday July 18, with racing beginning on Sunday July 19 and running through until Friday July 24.
Entries have been flooding in for the 2026 International Six Metre Open and Classic European Championships, which are scheduled to take place from July 15–24 on Switzerland’s Lake Geneva.
Organised by the Cercle de la Voile and hosted by the Société Nautique de Genève, the six-day European regatta will be preceded by three days of racing at the International Six Metre Swiss Championship from July 15–17.
With strong interest expressed from around the world by owners of International Six Metre yachts in both the open and classic divisions, this year’s European Championships are expected to attract a bumper entry of around 50 boats.
Already – and with around two months still to go to the July 5 entry deadline – 32 boats are registered for the event, with entries coming in from across Europe – one from Finland, two from France, four from Germany, two from Great Britain, three from Italy, one from the Netherlands, one from Spain, one from Sweden, and 10 from Switzerland – as well as one American-flagged entry, Basil Vasiliou’s Jane Ann from the New York Yacht Club.
The International Six Metre class dates back to 1907 and the introduction of the International Rule – also known as the Metre Rule – with the first recorded Six Metre race taking place in 1907 at Cercle de la Voile de Paris on the Seine.
Throughout its history, the class has been a hotbed for technical innovation, with the world’s leading yacht designers and sailors contributing to the development of the class. An Olympic class from 1908 to 1952, the Six Metres were also frequently used as development boats during the America’s Cup’s 12 Metre era. Today, the Six Metre class remains a vibrant, highly competitive international class with over 300 boats – modern and classic – actively racing.
This summer’s regatta on Lake Geneva will see two separate International Six Metre European titles awarded: the Open European Championship for those yachts constructed and/or certificated since January 1, 1966; and the Classic European Championship for those yachts constructed and/or certificated before that date.
Amongst the early entries is the reigning International Six Metre World Champion Momo, owned by Dieter Schön (SUI) from the Segelclub St. Moritz. Also entered is Duclop, skippered by renowned international match racing skipper Eric Monnin (SUI), who finished third in the 2025 World Championship, held at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club in the United States.
High on the list of likely contenders for the Open European title will be the British entry Battlecry, skippered by Jeremy Thorp from the Royal Yacht Squadron – which took the silver medal at the 2024 Open European Championship in Sanxenxo, Spain – along with the Swiss entry Junior from the host club, skippered by Loïc Forestier (SUI), which finished third in 2024.
Among the likely favourites for the 2026 Classic European title will no doubt be Finnish entry Astrée III, which took the silver medal position at the 2024 European Championship, as well as Mauricio Sánchez-Bella Carswell’s Spanish entry Titia, which took bronze position in 2024.
The winner of the International Six Metre 2026 Open European Championship will receive the Coppa Giovanelli – a perpetual challenge trophy originally presented by the Yacht Club Italiano. Winners in the Six Metre 2026 Classic European Championship will receive the Royal Danish Yacht Club’s President Woodrow Wilson Trophy.
The August Ringvold Memorial Trophy will be presented to the highest placed Classic entry built to the First (1907-1919) or Second (1919-1933) International Rule.
The Merula Trophy – donated in 2015 by the East India Club Yacht Squadron – will be awarded to the highest placed Classic yacht built to the First (1907-1919) International Rule.
The Nelson Trophy – donated to the Class by Don Wood of the Royal Thames Yacht Club – will be awarded to the highest placed boat constructed and certificated between January 1, 1966 and September 6, 1979.
The Lucie Trophy – donated to the Class by Matt Brooks to honour the memory of Lucie Bedford Warren, a keen Six Metre competitor in the USA, Bermuda, Canada, and Europe – will be presented to the highest placed yacht that includes a woman helmsperson or crew.
The IYRS Astor Cup – loaned by the IYRS School of Technology and Trades of Newport, Rhode Island – will be awarded to the highest placed entry that includes a person under 25 years of age as a helm or crew.
The Robbe and Berking Trophy – originally instituted by Peter König in 2006 as the Baum and König Trophy, with the current trophy presented by Oliver Berking in 2020 – will be presented to the highest placed Classic yacht sailing with wooden spars and white working sails.
Due to strong winds, big seas and poor visibility no racing is possible on the final day of the International Six Metre European Championship 2024 Trofeo Xacobeo, and so we are delighted to announce that our 2024 European Champions are:
Open Six Metre European Champions 2024 – FIN81 Oiva (2022 designer Allan Savolainen), skippered by Henrik Andersin and crewed by Robert Nyberg, Jacob Granqvist, Theis Palm and the boat’s designer Allan Savolainen, sailing for Nylandska JK.
2024 International Six Metre Classic European Champion ESP16 Bribon
Classic Six Metre European Champions 2024 – ESP16 Bribon (1947 designer Arvid Laurin), skippered by His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain and crewed by Alejandro Abascal, Ross Macdonald, Lino Perez, Roy Alvarez and Eduardo Marin Lasheras, sailing for the RCN Sanxenxo.
In the Open Division our podium is completed by:
2024 International Six Metre Open European Silver Medallist GBR89 Battlecry
Open Division Silver Medallist GBR89 Battlecry (1988 designer Ian Howlett), skippered by Jeremy Thorp and crewed by Pedro Costa, Philip Parry, Wouter Stipout and Joao Matos, sailing for the Royal Yacht Squadron.
2024 International Six Metre Open European Bronze Medallist SUI77 Junior
Open Division Bronze Medallist SUI77 Junior (1981 designer Pelle Petterson), owned by Rainer Muller, skippered by Loic Forestier and crewed by Mathieu Fischer, Yann Marilley, Kaspar Schadegg and Nicolas Berthoud, sailing for SN de Geneve.
In the Classic Division our podium is completed by:
2024 International Six Metre Classic European Silver Medallist FIN80 Astree III
Classic Division Silver Medallist FIN80 Astree III (1959 Bjarn Aas) skippered by Ossi Paija and crewed by Thomas Hallberg, Sam Fauerlaund, Heikki Pulse and Kimmo Viljamaa, sailing for the Nylandska JK.
2024 International Six Metre Classic European Bronze Medallist ESP72 Titia
Classic Division Bronze Medallist ESP72 Titia (1952 designer David Boyd) skippered by Mauricio Sanchez-Bella Carswell, and crewed by Alicia Freire Vazquez, Pepe Lis Santos, Francisco Gonzalez Sanchez and Gerardo Preto Menor, sailing for the RCN Sanxenxo.
The Gala Prize Giving Dinner will take place at the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo this evening and we will have a full report for you including confirmation of all our special division winners and photos later.
The sun finally came out on day five of the International Six Metre European Championships 2024 Trofeo Xacobeo, where it was all change on the leaderboards as races six and seven of the eight race series were completed for both Open and Classic Divisions and the single scoring discard came into play.
Once again there was an initial postponement as the visibility improved and the wind filled in. But the wait was worth it and both races were run in a light and pleasantly warm, if rather shifty, six to eight knot south westerly. After the wet and windy conditions earlier in the regatta it was a welcome change of pace for the teams.
In the Open Division new faces came to the fore and the overnight leaders both struggled. Henrik Andersin’s Oiva (2022 Allan Savolainen) took a second and third place to bounce up from third into a five-point overall lead. Jeremy Thorp’s Battlecry (1988 Ian Howlett) went into the day in fifth and added a pair of fifths to his card, so now sits in second place. A single point behind him is Rainer Muller’s Junior (1981 Pelle Petterson), skippered by Loic Forestier, who drops out of the lead after a seventh and eighth place.
Defending Open Division Champion Dieter Schoen’s Momo (2022 Judel Vrolijk) hasn’t had the best of weeks so far, but she found form again today to win race six and take second in race seven, putting her into fourth overall but on equal points with Junior. Also off her usual pace was Violeta Alvarez’s Stella (2017 Juan Kouyoumdjian), who could manage no better than a sixth and eighth so drops from second into fifth, a point behind Junior and Momo. The day’s other race winner was Nick and Fotis Lykiardopolou’s Aera (1988 Pelle Petterson) who scored a fourth and then won race seven to end the day in sixth overall.
A pre-start port/starboard incident between Eugenio Galdon Brugarolas’ Maybe XIV and Basil Vasiliou’s Jane Ann, skippered by Steffan Lindberg, sadly saw Jane Ann holed above the waterline. Maybe XIV retired from the race and the Jury awarded Jane Ann average points, which means she sadly drops down from fourth overall to sixth.
Back ashore Henrik Andersin was delighted with Oiva’s performance. “Today was a very challenging day, and we didn’t have much wind. It’s weird hanging around for a long time. We really thought it was a hard sail. I think the feeling in the Open Class is just great. We are helping each other, and we support each other. So, it’s going great. And I think also our crew is very happy!”
In the Classic Division His Majesty King Juan Carlos’ Bribon (1947 Arvin Laurin) took an eighth in race six, which she immediately discarded, followed by a fourth in race seven, which was just sufficient to allow her to retain the overall Classic Division lead. However, Ossi Paija’s Astree II (1959 Bjarn Aas) fared much better with a pair of second places and now sits just a single point behind Bribon.
Ten points behind in third place of the Classics is Mauricio Sanchez-Bella Carswell’s Titia (1952 David Boyd) after a pair of seventh places. But the boat of the day in the Classics fleet was without doubt Francisco Botas’ Aida (1931 Alfred Mylne), skippered by Javier De La Gandara Alonso, which put in a stunning performance to win both races and move into fourth overall, four points ahead of Louis Heckly’s Fun (1937 Olin Stephens), which had added fourth and ninth to her card, dropping one place down the ranking.
Diego Fernandez of Aida explained that the conditions played a big part in their double race victory. “It was a light wind day which the boat enjoys. We hit the right shifts. We had a good start and steady racing. We got quite a lot right, and the boat was going very well, very fast. After days of strong wind, big waves, days when the boat wasn’t going well, we were a little bit stressed and the truth is that today the boat was going very well in light wind, and the crew were delighted. Today is the special type of day when everything comes together, to do two firsts everything has to be perfect, otherwise the others will beat you. It’s incredibly tough racing, all good boats, good helms, good trimmers, very tough. We’re all very close together and you have to stick your head out metre by metre.”
With a single race left to complete on the final day of the competition the rankings in both Divisions remain wide open. The forecast for the last day is tricky to read to say the least. Torrential rain is more of less guaranteed, and the wind will be between south and southwest, but the wind strength could be anything from six to thirty knots. Fortunately, both the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo’s Race Committee and the sailors are up for the challenge and so we look forward to a spectacular final show down.
Additional information about the 2024 International Six Metre European Championships is available at 6meuropeans2024.com. You can follow the regatta action online at:
International 6 Metre Association 