22 September 2025 – Oyster Bay, NY, USA – Sadly day one of the 2025 Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (SCYC) proved to be a non-starter as the wind failed to make an appearance. Initially the Race Committee postponed racing by three hours in the hope that the wind would build, giving a revised start time of 14.30. The committee then went afloat to monitor conditions and kept the teams fully updated, but the wind stubbournly refused to reach a consistent 5 knots.
As there was a light breeze blowing in the harbour some of the teams did leave the moorings and headed out to the race area, but sadly it petered out at the entrance to the bay and Long Island Sound lay like a glassy sheet ahead of them. Although disappointing, it was clear the correct decision had been made, so everyone
For those who didn’t venture afloat it was to be a relaxed day of chatting with friends, playing cards, talking about boats and regattas past, eating, drinking, boat bimbling, and appreciating the stunning beauty of this very special part of the USA. The crew of FRA11 Fun even managed a successful spot of fishing and were very proud of their catch.
Whilst the weather gods might be slacking, the same can’t be said for the regatta’s social committee, which has been pulling out all the stops. As well as Friday’s Official Opening Ceremony, held under the marquee on the club lawn, there have already been an informal Happy Hour hosted by Oakcliff Sailing on Thursday, a Bollywood themed dinner hosted by Commodore and Mrs Hugh Jones at their home on Saturday evening, an informal BBQ at the club on Sunday, and tonight the teams will enjoy an informal poolside dinner being hosted by SCYC Treasurer Russell Byers and his wife Anne at their home.
Our thanks must also go to event sponsor Barton & Grey Mariners Club, who are providing a spectator boat from their elegant charter fleet to take people out to watch the racing, and to Mount Gay Barbados Rum for their support as an official supplier.
Tomorrow morning the crews will meet for their daily 09.00 competitor briefing where Race Officer Shannon Bush will update them on her team’s plans for the day. Currently the forecast is looking more promising with the hope that there will be a reasonable south-south-westerly breeze, so everyone has their fingers crossed and are offering up prayers to their chosen deities that tomorrow will be a better day.
It is now planned that racing will commence at 11:30 on Tuesday 23 September and racing continues until Friday 26 September, with eight races scheduled and five races required to validate a championship.
29 Teams registered and ready to race 2025 Six Metre World Championships at Seawanhaka Corithian Yacht Club
Seventeen boats from nine nations to compete for the Open Championship and twelve for the Classics
Resurgence of interest in Six Metres sees three brand new boats coming to the line
Century old classics take on the challenge
21 September 2025 – Oyster Bay, NY, USA – Registration is now complete and 29 teams from ten nations are ready to race for the 2025 Six Metre World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club on Long Island Sound. Racing for both the Open and Classic Championships will run from Monday 22 to Friday 26 October with up to eight races scheduled. The fleet comprises 17 Open Division boats and 12 Classics, both racing on the same course but starting separately.
The quality of the sailors participating is without doubt exceptional, as Cameron Wallace, the youngest skipper competing in the regatta, confirms: “Our team is pretty unique in the fact that we’re all under the age of 28. So we lack the experience that a lot of these other boats have, but I think we make up for it because we all work together very well and we’re all quite young and fit, so if the breeze comes up, we might be able to outdo some folks in that respect. Thanks to the generosity of Rainer Müller [who has lent them the Classic Six Metre SUI112 Ca Va, a 1938 Baron E. Wedell von Wedellsborg design] we have been able to put together a team and went to the North Americans last year in Anacortez, and now here we are in New York ready to do our first Worlds together.
“It’s definitely a little bit of a who’s who on the registration list so I try not to look at that too much to keep the nerves down! Fortunately, Ross MacDonald of Bribon has been coaching us for the last year and has been exceptionally generous donating his time. I think at the end of the day it’s very much just about treating this like a normal regatta and then when it’s over I’ll probably take a deep breath and realise who was beside me on the starting line and I’ll hopefully realise I didn’t mess up too much!”
This is a development class and Dennis Conner has never shied away from trying something new, as his tactician Chris Poole, himself a top match racer, explains: “He’s got a really interesting design, we’ve got a new boat and our designer is here with us, and Dennis is really excited to see how it goes against the other moderns. We’ve definitely taken a step away from the traditional Six Metre lines, as far as within the rules will allow, and so we potentially have a really quick boat in certain conditions. Dennis is just really looking forward to finding out where she’s strong and where she might need to be even faster.”
There is a strong entry from local teams who are delighted to see the fleet back at its historic US home, as Bill Mooney of USA40 Saleema, a 1928 Clinton H Crane design, explains: “It is so great for us at Seawanhaka to have the Six Metres back here. This has been going on for more than 100 years and to have everybody back here this year is so exciting for us, and we are so honoured to get to host this again. It’s been I think 38 years since we last had the Worlds, and there are a number of boats that have come that have not been back here for many years. The boat I’m sailing was originally a Seawanhaka boat back in 1928, she left right away in 1928 and has not been back since. We are so happy to have her and several others back here. The camaraderie among everybody is amazing, we haven’t even started yet and everybody is already having a great time together. We’ve got Dennis Conner, we’ve got Chris Poole, we’ve got the King of Spain, Jamie Hilton will be here and he’s the current champion. And to have all of them want to come here is a real thrill for us.”
With teams travelling from as far afield as Greece, Finland, the British Virgin Islands, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Canada it truly is an international cast. Heading the Canadian team is Peter Wealick, racing SUI115 Max’Inux with his daughter, who commented: “I am looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. The racing venue is beautiful, and the weather looks promising. I am racing with my daughter this week and we are enormously proud to represent the indigenous people of Canada at the regatta.” To find out more about the sailors competing check out the full Crew List.
Racing will be run under the supervision of International Race Officer Shannon Bush who heads up the SCYC team. The forecast for the regatta is for light airs, and when asked about what the competitors could expect on the water she explained: “Long Island Sound is going to be super tricky this week. The sailors will have to do their homework. We’re out in the middle of the Sound, so that takes away a lot of the physical shoreline influence, and we’re going to try and stay away from the super deep or super shallow areas. And it’s like any other sailing event – you’ve got to stay in pressure and stay on the right tack!”
So, picking the winners is not easy. In the Open Division there are the known quantities like Laurence Clerc’s SUI77 Junior, skippered by the legendary Nicolas Berthoud and Henrik Andersin’s 2022 Oiva comes to the regatta as reigning European Champion. And one would be unwise to count out Basil Vasiliou’s USA105 Jane Ann or the Greek team of Foti Lykiardopulo sailing GRE1 Aera. But with three brand new boats racing – Dennis Conner’s ESP33, Rainer Mülller’s SUI144 Eau Vive being sailed by reigning World Champion Jamie Hilton, and Dieter Schoen’s new Momo II – it really is anyone’s championship.
n the Classics, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain’s ESP16 Bribon, and ISMA Chairman Louis Heckly’s FRA11 Fun will go head-to-head once again, but they face stiff competition. One should never underestimate Mauricio Sanchez-Bella’s ESP72 Titia, and then there’s the unknown quantity of the young bloods aboard SUI112 Ca Va, who might surprise everyone. And we cannot discount the beautiful USA56 Jill, built in 1931 and recently restored under the new ownership of renowned Italian sailor Alessandro Maria Rinaldi of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. And perhaps one of our centenarians will prevail with 1922’s USA14 SYCE, and 1924’s USA21 Madcap both keen to prove that age is just a number.
Racing is due to get underway at 11:30 on Monday 22 September and continues until Friday 26 September, with eight races scheduled and five races required to validate a championship.
Members of the press wishing to attend the event or requiring additional information or images should contact ISMA Press Officer Fiona Brown on email fiona.brown@fionabrown.com or Tel/WhatsApp +44 7711 718470.`
Teams prepare to race for the 2025 International Six Metre World Championships from 22 to 26 September
Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club welcome the competitors in style with a spectacular sunset Opening Ceremony
His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain gifts a brand-new perpetual trophy to be presented to the winner of the Classic Six Metre Worlds, the Copa Rey Juan Carlos
20 September 2025 – Oyster Bay, NY, USA – The Opening Ceremony for the 2025 International Six Metre Open and Classic World Championships saw the 29 participating teams from nine nations gather on the waterside lawn of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (SCYC) for a delightful evening of camaraderie, generous hospitality and a very special presentation by the reigning Six Metre Classic World Champion, His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Proceedings got underway with welcomes from SCYC Regatta Chair Hugh Jones and SCYC Commodore Robert W. Fagiola, who paid tribute to the historic connections between the club and the Six Metres, which go right back to the 1920s. He also thanked the competitors for travelling to Oyster Bay for this first SCYC based championship since 1987 and wished everyone great sailing and great fun.
International Six Metre Association (ISMA) President Louis Heckly responded, thanking the SCYC for their warm welcome and all their hard work in making the event possible, and he echoed Robert’s thanks to the sailors for being here. He then asked His Majesty King Juan Carlos to join him on the stage.
Three-time Classic Six Metre World Champion and reigning Classic World and European Champion, His Majesty’s commitment to the class is exceptional and has seen him play a key role in revitalising the Six Metre fleet in Spain. His surprise announcement to the gathered fleet was the presentation of a spectacular new perpetual trophy, the Copa Rey Juan Carlos, which will be presented to the winner of the Classic Six Metre World Championship, alongside the historic Djinn Trophy.
The stunning new trophy, a large, embellished silver cup, was personally commissioned by His Majesty, who was also directly involved in the preparation of its Deed of Gift. In accepting the new trophy on behalf of ISMA, Louis Heckly not only thanked His Majesty for his most generous gift, but also took a moment to share a joke with him. The two men have been vying for the Classic Six Metre World title for several years now, with his Majesty currently having won it three times and Louis once. Louis jokingly laid down a challenge that the very first name engraved on the King’s new trophy will be that of his own FRA11 Fun – a challenge the King naturally accepted!
For the sailors the evening was a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones, as they enjoyed the hospitality for which SCYC is world renowned. The Opening Ceremony was followed by an informal club buffet supper and as the sky put on a spectacular sunset display the teams looked forward to an exciting competition ahead.
Twenty-nine boats from seven nations will challenge for the championships, with 17 racing for the Open Championship’s Six Metre World Cup Trophy, and 12 for the new Copa Rey Juan Carlos. The newest boats racing have both been launched just in time for this event – Rainer Müller’s new Ian Howlett designed SUI144 Eau Vive, which is being raced this week by defending Open World Champion Jamie Hilton of the New York YC, and 2022 World Champion Dieter Schoen’s Judel/Vrolijk designed IBV145 Momo II, sailing for the Royal BVI Yacht Club, both of which are fresh out of the box. Whilst the oldest boats racing, both over 100 years old, will be USA14 SYCE, which was built in 1922 to a John G Alden design and is raced by Robert and Farley Towse of the New York Yacht Club, and SCYC Regatta Chairman’s Hugh Jones and Russell Byers’ USA21 Madcap, a 1924 Fredrick M Hoyt design.
Racing for the championships will get underway on Monday 22 September and continue until Friday 26, with up to eight races scheduled. You will find a full entry list here, and can follow updates via the ISMA Facebook and Instagram pages and at 6metre.com.
Members of the press wishing to attend the event or requiring additional information or images should contact ISMA Press Officer Fiona Brown on email fiona.brown@fionabrown.com or Tel/WhatsApp +44 7711 718470.
International 6 Metre Association 