Organized by the SNG, the Swiss championship of this legendary class attracted a top-class field.
Photos: Loris von siebenthal
There’s still room for a leaning world. On the lake, the 6mJI class is in top form. One could almost speak of a definite boom. The Swiss championship organized by the SNG and the Swiss 6mJI Association was a resounding success. 23 boats and as many crews. Three days of very high-level racing and an intense battle for the two titles, right down to the last tack. Almost as beautiful as a painting by Ferdinand Hodler. These magnificent monohulls are an almost natural part of the Lake Geneva landscape, which no one ever tires of. Leaning over the water like a fairy over a cradle, the 6mJIs conjure up images of a time when elegance was not a dirty word.
“We do 6mJI because it’s the very essence of sailing,” explains Loïc Forestier, winner of the modern boat category with Junior. In the life of a regatta sailor, it’s very important to vary the supports you use to keep learning and progressing. Two days before this championship, I was training on a TF35 with Zen Too. And it’s true that the contrast between the two is quite striking. They’re two different worlds. Here, we’re back to basics. We’re constantly fine-tuning the boat to get a tenth of a knot. We’re on close, tight starts. And it’s also, and above all, very high-level racing.”
Shared passion
For several years now, the 6mJI class has been very dynamic, with some of the finest yachts on display in the harbors around Lake Geneva. Starting with the SNG harbor, where several nuggets are lined up. At the heart of everything we do are passionate owners who put a lot of effort into preserving this heritage,” points out Loïc Forestier. It would be a real shame not to race these superb boats. You can’t learn by sitting in your living room. This project with Junior, which I joined this year, is also a human adventure with guys I really like. It’s a great mix of old and young.”
The charm of the 6mJI and the pleasure it brings to sailors has not left the new generation of Lake Geneva sailors unmoved. And even if it doesn’t go as fast, it’s no less exciting and instructive. At the Swiss championships, talented young sailors competed on several boats. Noémie Fehlmann and Axel Grandjean traded in their Nacra 17s for the occasion. The former joined the only 100% women’s crew on the modern T2, while her usual partner took the helm of the legendary 1934 Fife Saskia II. “I’m the one who trains them in Nacra, but I didn’t need to push them to take part and do 6mJI,” explains Loïc Forestier. They’ve clearly understood the value of multiplying experiences and supports.”
The “real sail”
Above all, they took immense pleasure in sailing “real boats”, as Mathieu Fischer, both organizer and participant in this Swiss championship, puts it. The Genevan, vice-president of the Cercle de la Voile and responsible for the 6mJI and J70 at the SNG, is an enthusiast who makes no secret of his love for these beautiful machines that sail upwind like no other. “I don’t want to be a killjoy, but a 6mJI regatta does have a certain allure. We’re not on rails like remote-controlled cars. There are five of us aboard who really sail. If you take the America’s Cup, which is an exciting event, there are four sailors and four cyclists. On each side, there are only two people sailing!
Then comes an almost philosophical question. Is the pleasure the same at 6 knots as at 45 knots? It’s undoubtedly very different. We’re not going very fast,” admits Mathieu Fischer, “but we’re always in contact, and that’s what makes it so exciting. Speed is relative and is measured against the other competitors. I think it’s all these aspects of sailing that make these boats so successful today. Not to mention the fact that they’re also superbly elegant to look at.”
Elegant, yet accessible despite the passage of time. There’s no need for helmets, padded vests or police protection. This is also what allows legends like Philippe Durr to multiply titles like others multiply loaves of bread. Once again, the king of the 6mJI class has won a title. On the classic Astrée, the Versois native had to fight hard right to the end for the title of Swiss champion. With 10 points, the king of the 6mJI, multiple world and European champion, finished a breath ahead of the Vaudois CV Vevey-La-Tour led by Louis Heckly. Fun missed out on Astrée by just one point. The podium was completed by another Vaud boat from Villeneuve, Antonin Boscherens’ Saskia II.
Among the modern boats, Junior also delivered a recital, but he also kept his guard up until the last tack of the 7th and final race. Winner of four races, Junior finished with the same number of points (11) as Jean-Marc Monnard and his team aboard Duclop, who accumulated second places (5). Loïc Forestier et Cie won thanks to their number of 1st places. The SNG was also successful, with Michel Vaucher taking 3rd place under the Geneva flag, accompanied by a mixed team of sailors from Rolle, Lutry and the SNG.
There was a great deal of satisfaction along the pontoon of honor at La Nautique. The participants appreciated the welcome they always receive in Geneva,” says Mathieu Fischer. All this shows that we’re ready for 2026 and the organization of the European championships.”