Six-metre World Championship: Dieter Schön's "Momo" wins ahead of Sanxenxo: The new Judel/Vrolijk six-wheeler takes the World Championship title

Dieter Schön's new Judel/Vrolijk six-metre "Momo" came, saw and won: the new boat from the Bremerhaven design studio was unbeatable with its crew of owner and helmsman Dieter Schön, tactician Markus Wieser, Ross Halcrow, Dirk de Ridder, Victor Manuel Marino Prieto and coach Frithjof Kleen at the Six Metre World Championship in the Spanish waters off Sanxenxo. The multinational crew performed so confidently with the racer built at the Swiss Wilke boatyard in the series, which was predominantly characterised by light winds, that they did not have to compete in the seventh and final race after a few lulls. With the series 1, 2, 2, 6, 2, 1 (23 DNC), the "Momo" quintet won the world championship crown in the open classification for six-metre yachts at the first attempt. Swiss compatriots Philippe Durr and Rainer Müller came second with their team on "Junior" ahead of Patrick Monteiro de Barros' crew on "Seljm" from Portugal. In the classic division, the French "Dix Août" took the title ahead of the top Spanish boats "Bribon 500" and "Aida".

For Dieter Schön, who previously competed in the 5.5, it was the perfect class debut. On the final day, after a mediocre start, his team was able to work its way forwards again in the sixth race, securing the World Championship triumph ahead of schedule with its second win of the day in the series and leaving the pursuers to fight for the subsequent podium places. While the "Momo" crew were already celebrating in the harbour, the Swiss "Junior" team had to make up for a poor 15th place from the sixth race in the showdown. They achieved this perfectly with an elegant victory in race seven. Eighth place in the final race was enough for Patrick Monteiro de Barros and his team to take bronze.

"This was new territory for all of us," reported star boat world champion and SSL Gold Cup captain Frithjof Kleen. The Berlin native, who lives on Lake Garda, was the coach of the rotating "Momo" team at the World Championships. Referring to the extremely experienced crew on board the six-man boat, Kleen said: "I can learn a lot there." Click here for the results of the six-team world championship in Galicia (please click!). 22 six-place finishers in the open division and 18 in the classic division from a total of 15 nations turned the World Championship at the host Real Club Nautico de Sanxenxo into a sailing festival. Their European Championship will take the fleet to Cascais in Portugal from 2 to 10 September, where there is usually more wind.