Jamie Hilton's Scoundrel and His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain's team Bribon win new world titles in their respective classes
All photos © SailingShots by Maria Muiña
In the face of zero wind forecasted for the highly anticipated final day of the Six Metre World Championship 2023 in Cowes, the Royal Yacht Squadron's Race Committee made a bold decision. They chose to seize the penultimate day of the competition and run all three remaining races, races six to eight, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown.
Amidst the scorching heat and intense light airs, Jamie Hilton's Scoundrel, proudly representing the New York Yacht Club and expertly crewed by Mike Marshall, Dave Hughes, Allan Terhune Jr, and Addison Caproni, emerged as the 2023 Open Six Metre World Champion with a race to spare.
Reflecting on their impressive performance, Hilton's joy was obvious: "The boat goes so great, and the guys get the boat going so well, that everything just fell into place. I feel very fortunate, very lucky. We had great competitors that really kept us on our toes and made us work hard."
His Majesty King Juan Carlos of Spain's team on board the North Sails-powered Bribon took the 2023 Classic Division World Champions at the event.
Skillfully sailed by Ross McDonald, Alejandro Abescal, Simon Fisher, Aleberto Viejo, and Roi Alvarex, the team clinched a narrow victory as the competition reached a fever pitch, with the ultimate champion determined in the very last race.
The pride and dedication of His Majesty King Juan Carlos and his team was clear, with the King remarking, "It's a sensational team, a really good team. We've worked for it, we've fought for it, and here is the result."