Six-man World Championship: Gold again! Wieser and Kleen world champions again

It was by no means clear how well Dieter Schön's brand new six would perform at this world championship of the construction class in the New York area. Having only just been completed at the beginning of July at Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel, the crew had initially subjected the new Judel/Vrolijk design to a lightning test on the fjord before the logistical task of quickly transporting it across the pond had to be solved.

"Mister America's Cup" and match race aces in the game

In the waters of the host Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club (SCYC), a further ten days of training in Oyster Bay were on the programme before the first world championship starting shot was fired. Big names such as "Mister America's Cup" Dennis Conner were involved. Designer Jason Ker acted as tactician on the American "Jane Ann", with match race ace Staffan Lindberg from Finland at the helm.

The Swiss "Duclop" was led by another world-class match racer, Eric Monnin, whose crew was narrowly beaten by Rainer Müller and Jamie Hilton's "Eau Vive", also sailing under the Swiss flag, after seven races in the battle for silver in the World Championships, just one point behind. Not to be beaten were helmsman Dieter Schön, tactician and foreship man Markus Wieser, mainsail trimmer Álvaro Marinho, trimmer Matti Paschen and pitman Eberhard Magg on "Momo II".

Supported by boat captain Jan Klingmüller, rigger Frederico Benini and coach Frithjof Kleen, the crew sailed so confidently to the World Championship title that they no longer had to contest the seventh and final race of the series on Friday evening German time. With the six-man title, Markus Wieser won his second World Championship gold within a month, two weeks after his triumph with "Galateia" at the Maxi World Championship off Porto Cervo.

Two World Championship gold medals within a month

Frithjof Kleen, who won the Starboat World Championship in Split less than a fortnight ago with sailing legend Paul Cayard, was not to be outdone. Now, as a coach, he was part of the team that won six gold medals in New York. The conditions were varied. While there was still a strong easterly wind and waves in training, the week of the World Championships was rather lighter until one front followed the next on Thursday.

The Schön team won its second six-boat world championship title since 2022, which, according to Frithjof Kleen, was achieved "with outstanding boat speed, good boat handling and confident tactical and strategic sailing". The entire crew enjoyed the "really classic sailing that used to characterise the sport", said Frithjof Kleen in New York, while Markus Wieser was already on his way back to Saint-Tropez, where he will once again be challenged on "Galateia".

The classic classification of the 6mR class, which celebrated its Olympic premiere in London in 1908, remained an Olympic event until 1952, but never saw a German medallist among the five rings, was once again won by the Spanish "Bribon" with Pedro Campos ahead of Mauricio Sanchez-Bella's compatriots on "Titia" and Gred Stuart's US six-man "Sprig".

Next summit of six: European Championship 2026 on Lake Geneva

For next year, the Schön crew already has its sights set on the next big six-man target, as the European Championship will be held on Lake Geneva, where the first SailGP in the history of Formula 1 sailing has just taken place. The team is looking forward to this, as many good teams and boats in the 6mR class traditionally come from Switzerland.