The 2024 ISMA AGM was held in Sanxenxo, Spain on 28 September and a number of key decisions were made and proposals received. Full minutes of the meeting will be circulated to members by email. Below is an overview of some of the key points discussed.
ISMA President Louis Heckly (FRA11 Fun) welcomed the members to the meeting.
He also welcomed new ISMA Secretary Helena Paz to her first AGM. Helena thanked Louis and all the members for their support as she takes on her new role, and in particular thanked outgoing Secretary Tim Russell for his assistance during the handover period. She confirmed that she is very much enjoying her new role and participating in her first ISMA AGM.
Peter Wealick made a short presentation about plans for the 2025 International Six Metre World Championships, being hosted by the Seawanhaka Corithian Yacht Club on Long Island Sound and looked forward to welcoming the international competitors for the event next September.
It was confirmed that the 2026 International Six Metre European Championships will be held on Lake Geneva. Further information will be made available in due course.
It was confirmed that the 2027 International Six Metre World Championships will be held at Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK), Helsinki, Finland. Further information will be made available in due course.
Chairman Louis Heckley confirmed that bids are now being sought to host the 2028 International Six Metre European Championships.
An official bid by Yacht Club Costa Smerald (ITA) for the 2029 Six Metre World Championships was very well received by competitors. This will be formally presented to and discussed at the ISMA winter meeting.
Foti Lykiardopulo (GRE1 Aera) was elected as the new ISMA Treasurer.
The proposal to adopt a new measurement certificate format was voted for unanimously.
The inaugural edition of SIX Magazine, which was published in spring 2024, was discussed and confirmed a great success. It was unanimously agreed that ISMA will proceed with a 2025 edition.
ISMA VP Marketing Ossi Paija requested that the matter of class brand and logos be reviewed. It was agreed that this will be added to the Agenda for the Winter Meeting for discussion
The ISMA Winter Meeting will be held in Geneva on 28 February and 1 March. Further details will be circulated to members directly in due course.
If you require further information about any aspect of the AGM please contact the ISMA Executive Secretary on IsmaSecretary@6metre.com
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:
The opening day of the Six Metre European Championships Trofeo Xacobeo at the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo got off to a damp and windless start, but by mid-afternoon a light southerly breeze had filled in and the race committee was able to run the opening race of the eight-race series in a light, variable and very shifty southerly. The beautiful Six Metres made an ethereal sight as the sun finally broke through the mist towards the end of the race.
Both the Open and Classic Division fleets are closely matched and as a result the racing is exceptionally tight with no quarter given. In the Classic Division opening blood went to the defending Classic European Champion, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain’s Bribon (1947 Arvid Laurin design) who led from the first mark, but who had to face constant challenges from Ossi Paija’s Astree III (1959 Bjarn Aas design) from Finland. On the line little more than a boat length separated the two leading boats, with Louis Heckly’s Fun (1937 Olin Stephen design) taking third.
After racing His Majesty was pleased with their performance but recognised that there is a long road ahead, saying “I’m very happy to be able to say that we have achieved a first place, but it has been quite complicated, because it has been a day of shifty winds and with ups and downs of pressure. There are more days of racing ahead, and we’ll see if we can hold onto first place.”
In the Open Division race victory went to Basil Vasilou’s Jane Ann (1985 Pelle Petterson design), skippered by Steffan Lindberg and sailing for the New York Yacht Club. She too led from the opening stages of the race but was also challenged hard by a chasing pack. Ultimately it was Rainer’ Muller’s Junior of Switzerland skippered by Loic Forestier (1981 Pelle Petterson design) that followed Jane Ann home with Duclop (1982 Pelle Petterson), also owned by Rainer Muller and skippered by Frank Narbone, in third.
The day had started with a briefing from Race Officer Alejandro Martin De Pazos, during which he warned the competitors that there would be an initial postponement, but that he was hopefully of running at least one race. The fleet was initially held ashore for an hour but then proceeded to sea. The drizzle and mist were still heavy as the boats were towed out, but the call was right and gradually conditions began to lift, and both fleets got race one underway. Sadly, the wind had not yet fully stabilised, and it died off again on the first run, forcing the committee to abandon the race.
The Race Committee held its nerve, kept the competitors updated and eventually the wind returned, and racing was underway again. The Open Division fleet was over eager and were general recalled twice before the black flag was displayed and the race was finally underway with a clean start. The Classics were better behaved, but both Ebsen Poulsson’s Aera, being skippered by Robert Holbrook, and Catalin Trandafir’s Essentia were over the start line and had to return. Whilst the wind held up better this time it was still light, variable and very shifty, giving the mark layers a good workout and the tacticians plenty to think about.
After a long day on the water the teams were delighted to return to the warm welcome of the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo’s Race Village where the famous Galician hospitality was flowing. Tomorrow two further races are scheduled with a planned first start time of noon. The regatta continues until Saturday 5 October with eight races scheduled.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS AFTER ONE RACE
OPEN DIVISION
USA 105 – Jane Anne – Steffan Lindberg – 1
SUI77 – Junior – Loic Forestier – 2
SUI100 – Duclop – Frank Narbone – 3
GBR89 – Battlecry – Jeremy Thorp
FIN81 – Oiva – Henrik Andersin
CLASSIC DIVISION
ESP 16 – Bribon – His Majesty King Juan Carlos – 1
The International Six Metre fleet has gathered in Sanxenxo on Spain’s stunning Galician coast in preparation for the 2024 Six Metre European Championship. The current reigning champions, Dieter Schoen’s Momo of Switzerland in the Open Division and His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain’s Bribon in the Classic Division, will both defend their titles against teams from France, Finland, Great Britain, Greece, Romania, Switzerland, Spain and the USA.
Sanxenxo is familiar territory for the Sixes as the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo (RCNS) is home to a significant part of the Spanish fleet, and the club also hosted the 2021 European and 2022 World Championships.
International Six Metre Association President Louis Heckly reflected the feelings of the sailors saying, “We are delighted to be back in Sanxenxo again for this year’s European Championship. The RCNS is a superb host club, and we can look forward to a first-class regatta. I’m delighted to see so many nations represented on the entry list and to welcome Basil Vasiliou and the Jane Ann team all the way from the New York Yacht Club. I was lucky enough to win the Classic World Championship last time we were here, so I just hope my luck holds again this year!”.
Alongside great racing, the sailors will enjoy a warm social welcome from the RCNS. The regatta opened with a delightful Welcome Ceremony, where competitors enjoyed delicious local wines and foods in the RCNS race village as the sunset. There will also be daily après sailing gatherings and a spectacular Gala Prize Giving Dinner on Saturday evening.
In preparation for the Europeans many of the teams participated in the RCNS Regata Rey Juan Carlos I, Galicia’s biggest annual sailing regatta featuring some 160 boats, which took place from 27 to 29 September. In the Classic Division His Majesty King Juan Carlos gave notice that Bribon is on excellent form for her defence of the Classic European Championship, winning by six points from Finland’s Ossi Paija and his team aboard Astree III, with Spain’s Javier de La Gandara Alonso’s Aida third.
In the Open Division Momo put in a strong performance at the Regata Rey Juan Carlos I, but it was Sanxenxo’s own Violeta Alvarez and her crew in Stella that took the victor’s laurels by five points from Nick and Fotis Lykiardopulo’s Aera. Third place was tied on points with Jan Eckert’s Ginkgotoo just beating Momo to the final step on the podium on countback.
Racing for the Six Metre European Championship will get underway on Monday 30 September and runs until Saturday 5 October with a total of eight races scheduled over six days. You will be able to follow the racing on Facebook and Instagram and via the live tracking, which will go live shortly before the start of each race. Results will be posted at the event website.
Additional information about the 2024 International Six Metre European Championship, including a list of entries is available at 6meuropeans2024.com. You can follow the regatta action online at:
27/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202429/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202429/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202427/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202427/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202427/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202428/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 202428/9/24 – 9ª Regata Rey Juan Carlos – El Corte Inglés Máster, 2024
International 6 Metre Association 