International 6 Metre European Championship 2018 - Warm up and preview
by Fiona Brown 3 Sep 2018 11:07 BST
3-7 September 2018
International 6 Metre European Championship © Fiona Brown
Thirty-eight teams from ten nations are gathered in La Trinité Sur Mer, Brittany, France for the 2018 International 6 Metre European Championship, being hosted by the Société Nautique de la Trinité sur Mer from 3 to 7 September.
Over the weekend of 1 and 2 September the teams registered and took part in two days of warm up racing on Quiberon Bay. Sadly Saturday produced very little wind and aside from one recalled start, no racing could be completed. Sunday was light again, but fortunately there was sufficient wind to allow Race Officer Gilles Bricout and his team to run two closely contested races, giving the teams a chance to test their boats, familiarise themselves with the venue and get the measure of the opposition.
The teams have travelled from as far afield as Canada, the USA, Finland and Portugal to compete and 38 boats arrived in time to take part in the warm up series for which two special new trophies have been presented. The fleet is divided into the Classic Division, for yachts built prior to 1965, and the Open Division for those built since 1965, commonly known as the Moderns. The split is almost evenly with 20 Classics and 18 Moderns entered. The fleets start separately with the Moderns going first by ten minutes to ensure good separation around the course.
The weather gods were smiling, providing clear skies and glorious sunshine and with the beautiful Brittany coastline as a backdrop the fleet made a spectacular sight. After Saturday's non-starter, Sunday's opening race was once again light and shifty but with sufficient wind for the race committee to complete a three leg windward leeward course. A light sea breeze filled in for the second race which ran for two full windward leeward laps.
Winner of the first race for the Moderns was the American team aboard USA105 Jane Ann, owned by Basil Vasiliou and helmed by Jali Makila. Finland's Evalina owned and helmed by Henrik Andersin took second place with Paul Smith's Valhalla from the UK, helmed by Rob Smith, third. Seljm was one of three boats disqualified for being over the line at the start of race one, but she went on to win the second race, with Evalina second again and St Francis IX, owned by Britain's Peter Harrison and helmed by Olympian and Dragon World Champion Andy Beadsworth, third. With two second places to her name Evalina was declared the Modern Division Warm Up Regatta winner and received not only an attractive trophy and a bottle of Moet and Chandon Champagne, but also the new perpetual trophy - a stunning 6 Metre half model created by model maker and member of Les Grands Atelier de France, Yves Gaginet.
Rainer Muller's Llanoria has made the journey to Brittany from Canada with Olympic Star Class Bronze Medallist Eric Jespersen at the helm. Eric and Llanoria won the 2015 Classic World Championship here in La Trinité and the 2016 Classic European Championship in Switzerland. A first and second in the practise races gave them overall Classics victory and clearly annouced their desire to take the Europeans Classics Trophy home again. At the prize giving they were also awarded with a new Yves Gaginet 6 Metre half model perpetual trophy.
With a sixth and third place, second overall in the Classic Division went to Christof Rek's Marianne from Germany, helmed by Andreas Haubold. The final step on the Classics warm up podium was taken by the American team aboard Lucie, owned by Matt Brooks with Jamie Hilton at the helm, counting a fourth and fifth. Although not making the podium, two Classics to watch out for this week will be Erica, owned and helmed by Violetta Alvarez who finished first in the second race of the day, but was over the line in race one, and Jose Cusi's Bribon Gallant, being helmed by HM King Juan Carlos, who was second in race one but did not finish the second race.
Back ashore the competitors enjoyed the wonderful hospitality in the regatta village and after the prize giving Peter Wealick, skipper of Max'Inux which has been renamed in honour of Peter's native Canadian Indian parents, invited all the teams to join the five strong Canadian contingent for a very special Pacific 6mR Fleet Potlatch party - which is a traditional Canadian gathering at which to share good fortune and hospitality with friends.
Championship racing commences on Monday 3 September and runs until Thursday 6 September with Friday 7 September held as a reserve day. Up to two windward leeward races will be run each day.
Further information about the regatta can be found at 6mr-european2018.fr