HM King Juan Carlos of Spain presents new trophy at 2025 Six Metre Worlds opening ceremony
by Fiona Brown 21 Sep 15:08 NZST
September 22-26, 2025
International Six Metre World Championship hosted by The Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club based in Centre Island, (Oyster Bay) New York © SailingShots by Maria Muiña
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 under way 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 under way 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 www.6metre.com.