International Six Metre Class will see up to 40 boats compete at the 2023 World Championships
by Louis Heckly 21 Jun 2023 08:43 PDT
Géry Trenteseaux (L) and Louis Heckly (R) © Louis Heckly
Louis Heckly, holder of the Classic Six Metre World title, passes the helm of Dix Août to famous French sailor Géry Trenteseaux to defend the Djinn Trophy.
After her victory at the Sanxenxo (Spain) Classic Six Metre World Championships in June 2022, Dix Aout, flagship of the Djeezupuhr fleet, will be entrusted to the good care of Géry Trenteseaux and his crew to try to beat the best sailors in the Class and defend her title at the 2023 Six Metre Worlds, being hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron, in Cowes, Isle of Wight, from September 1st to 8th.
The well-known offshore French sailor (who has multiple victories in RORC races, Fastnet, Commodore's Cup, Sydney-Hobart, etc), has been sailing brilliantly in the Dragon Class for several years (European Grand Prix Series Top 10, 3rd at the Gold Cup 2022). He will be crewed for the occasion by Sofian Bouvet calling tactics, Antoine Carpentier, Morgan Riou and Jean Queveau.
Created in 1907, the International Six Metre Class will see up to 40 boats compete this fall at the World Championships, including reigning champions Momo (Open) and Dix Aout (Classic). Crews from Sweden, the United States, Switzerland, Finland, Canada, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and France will challenge British sailors in their waters.
The story tells that the late Pierre-Paul Heckly originally tried to bring Géry to discover the Six Metre Class, without ever succeeding. It is now his son Louis who will lend him the boat to defend the colours of the Yacht Club de France against the world's best experts, from the America's Cup and Olympic sailing, to one design and ocean racing.
Géry and his team have begun training in Versoix, Switzerland, taking part in the Six Metre Challenge Lémanique events, where the high level of the fleet will undoubtedly help them quickly to gain experience. Racing against them, on Lake Geneva are several boats ranked in the World top five, plus a blue boat built in 1937 which has just come out of a major restoration project: Fun.
We will see you in September on the green waters of the Solent in the south of England to see if the idea of the Heckly son will bear fruit.