Six Metre European Championship 2024 at Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo – Overall
by Fiona Brown 6 Oct 08:46 PDT
October 5, 2024
Unfortunately, strong winds and large waves halted racing on the last day of the International Six Metre European Championship 2024 Trofeo Xacobeo in Sanxenxo. After seven intensely contested races, two deserving champions have emerged.
The 2024 Six Metre European Champion in the Open Division, who also won the Coppa Giovanelli, is FIN81 Oiva (designed by Allan Savolainen in 2022), led by skipper Henrik Andersin and crewed by Robert Nyberg, Jacob Granqvist, Theis Palm, and designer Allan Savolainen, representing Nylandska JK.
Henrik Andersin expressed that this victory is the happy result of many years devoted to the Six Metre class. “It feels amazing. I have pursued this for 21 years. Winning a championship of this magnitude is something new for me, so I am really delighted. Plus, we have an incredible crew, and I believe the organization managed the challenging weather conditions very well.”
“I think the regatta was a success. We believe our boat performs well in all weather conditions. It’s exceptionally balanced. This is a new boat, and after a year and a half of practice, we feel we now understand it well.”
The silver medal in the Open Division goes to GBR89 Battlecry (designed by Ian Howlett in 1988), with skipper Jeremy Thorp and crew members Pedro Costa, Philip Parry, Wouter Stipout, and Joao Matos, representing the Royal Yacht Squadron. The bronze medal was awarded to SUI77 Junior (designed by Pelle Petterson in 1981), owned by Rainer Muller, skippered by Loic Forestier with crew Mathieu Fischer, Yann Marilley, Kaspar Schadegg, and Nicolas Berthoud, sailing for SN de Geneve.
In the Classic Division, His Majesty Juan Carlos of Spain retained his European title with the stunning ESP16 Bribon (designed by Arvid Laurin in 1947), crewed by Alejandro Abascal, Ross Macdonald, Lino Perez, Roi Alvarez, and Eduardo Marin Lasheras, representing RCN Sanxenxo. During the Prize Giving Gala Dinner, they were presented with the President Woodrow Wilson Trophy to enthusiastic applause.
Bribon crew member Roi Alvarez represented his team and stated, “Honestly, it has been quite demanding; we’ve encountered a range of conditions. Some days were extremely windy, while others, like yesterday, featured very light winds and choppy seas. We handled the pressure better yesterday even during very challenging moments that nearly cost us the championship. Ultimately, we managed a fourth-place finish in the final race, preserving our lead.
“Ultimately, we aimed to consistently perform well each outing. Our competitiveness is an asset. I believe that in all wind conditions, that’s crucial for championships that span multiple days—not just when it’s windy to remain in the top five or six, but also on calmer days.”
“We extend our gratitude to everyone involved in this championship, the club for its organization, and the committee that faced challenging conditions but still completed seven out of a potential eight races.”
The Classic Division podium includes silver medalist FIN80 Astree III (designed by Bjarn Aas in 1959), skippered by Ossi Paija and crewed by Thomas Hallberg, Sam Faguerlund, Heikki Pulsa, and Kimmo Viljamaa, also representing Nylandska JK. The bronze medal was secured by ESP72 Titia, skippered by Mauricio Sanchez-Bella Carswell and crewed by Alicia Freire Vazquez, Pepe Lis Santos, Francisco Gonzalez Sanchez, and Gerado Prego Menor.
The Championship concluded with an elegant formal prize-giving dinner held in the club’s refined dining room, where crews united to celebrate their champions. This historic class has amassed remarkable trophies over the years, and the names gracing these awards represent a who’s who of yachting spanning nearly a century. The special trophy recipients this year were:
Titia garnered the Lucie Trophy, awarded to the best-performing crew including at least one female member.
The Nelson Trophy, honoring the best-performing Open Division boat built and certified before September 6, 1979, with no underwater modifications, was presented to SUI91 Irene, designed by Pelle Petterson in 1977, owned by Nicolas Jaton.
The IYRS Astor Cup, awarded to the boat featuring at least one crew member under 25, was claimed by ESP59 Aida (1936 Bjarn Aas), owned by Francisco Botas of RCN Coruna and skippered by Javier De La Gandara Alonso.
The August Ringvold Trophy, for boats originally built under the First or Second Rule, went to GBR40 Valdai, designed to the Second International Rule by the renowned Alfred Mylne in 1930 and constructed by the Bute Slip Doc Co and Port Bannatyne on the Clyde.
Moreover, there are special trophies for all-amateur Corinthian crews. This year, the Trofeo Pierre-Paul Heckly, for the Open Division Corinthian Champion, was awarded to SUI191 Irene, while the Trofeo May Be VI, for the Classic Corinthian Champion, went to FIN80 Astree III.
As the regatta reached its conclusion, International Six Metre Association President Louis Heckly praised the competitors and organizers. “This has been an extraordinary yet wonderful regatta. We have truly deserving champions in His Majesty King Juan Carlos’ Bribon and Henrik Andersin’s Oiva. I’m particularly pleased for Henrik, whose long-standing support for the Six Metres spans more than two decades, and I know this win holds great significance for him.”
“Once more, the Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo has opened its doors to welcome the Sixes and host an outstanding championship. The Race Committee demonstrated remarkable skill in navigating exceptionally difficult conditions to complete nearly all races, and we are immensely thankful to the club’s members and staff for their gracious hospitality and to the sponsors for their generous support. Sanxenxo occupies a unique place in our hearts, and we look forward to returning.”
Open Fleet Results:
Pos Boat name Sail No Skipper Owner Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts
1 OIVA FIN 81 Henrik Andersin Henrik Andersin Nyländska JK 5 1 5 7 3 2 1 9
2 BATTLECRY GBR 89 Jeremy Thorp Jeremy Thorp R. Yacht Squadron 4 3 2 1 0 5 5 24
3 JUNIOR SUI 77 Loic Forestier Muller Rainer S.N. De Genève 2 9 1 6 7 2 5 25
4 MOMO SUI 142 Dieter Schoen Dieter Schoen S.C. St. Moritz YC Costa Smeralda 6 6 8 6 4 12 25
5 STELLA ESP 116 Violeta Álvarez Violeta Alvarez R.C.N. Sanxenxo 7 3 7 1 6 8 26
6 JANE ANN USA 105 Staffan Lindberg Basil Vasiliou New York Y.C. 18 4 1 10 10 8 27.4
7 AERAGRE 1 Fotis Lykiardopulo Nick And Fotis Lykiardopulo R. Yacht Squadron 10 4 6 12 14 4 28
8 DUCLOP SUI 100 Frank Narbone Muller Rainer S.N. De Genève 35 DSQ 8 21 4 10 43
9 MAYBE XIV ESP 70 Eugenio Galdon Brugarolas Eugenio Galdon Brugarolas R.C.R. De Cartagena 11 17 9 33 RET 44
10 GINKGO TOSUI 140 Jan Eckert Jan Eckert S.N. De Genève 97 94 11 16 46
11 VALHALLA GBR 107 Paul Smith Paul Smith Hayling I.S.C. 8 10 10 99 955
12 IRENE SUI 91 Nicolas Jaton Guy Minder C.N. De Lutry 12 12 11 21 21 21 69
Classic Fleet Results:
Pos Boat name Sail No Skipper Owner Club R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 Pts
1 BRIBÓN ESP 16 S.M. El Rey D. Juan Carlos I de Borbón José Cusí R.C.N. Sanxenxo 12 12 28 42
2 ASTREE III FIN 80 Ossi Paija Ossi Paija Nyländska JK 21 24 42 23
3 TITIA ESP 72 Mauricio Sanchez-Bella Carswell Mauricio Sánchez-Bella R.C.N. Sanxenxo 4 37 17 73
4 AIDA ESP 59 Javier de La Gandara Alonso Francisco Botas – Jc Escotet R.C.N. Coruña 69 85 51 26
5 FUNFRA 11 Louis Heckly Louis Heckly Y.C. De France 35 63 OCS 30
6 ESSENTIA ROU 65 Catalin Trandafir Catalin Trandafir C.Y.C. Constanta 10 10 46 33 531
7 ALIBABA II ESP 50 Miguel Lago Cereceda Miguel Lago M.R.C.Y.B. 58 37 66 63
8 NIRVANA GBR 33 Andy Postle Andy & Lisa Postle Royal Western Y.C. 74 58 88 37
9 AERA GBR 74 Robert Holbrook Esben Poulsson R. Yacht Squadron 127 10 10 103 50
10 MAY BE VI FIN 51 Cecilia Sandman Johanna Nyländska JK 80 90 99 1050
11 VALDAI GBR 40 Tom Owen Dirk Stolp & Tom Owen Koninklijke W.V.L. 11 11 111 121 263
12 IAN FIN 59 Cesar Elizaga Viana César Elizaga R.C.N. Sanxenxo 9 12 13 11 11 66
13 STARDUST ESP 91 Santiago Campos Calvo-Sotelo Santiago Campos R.C.N. Sanxenxo 13 31 21 213 76
14 JOY FIN 36 David Mas Nacho Muñoz Del Toro / Santiago Vazquez R.C.N. Sanxenxo DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC DNC 90
