Gallant
Gallant was designed in 1947 by Arvid Laurin and built by Plym in Neglinge, Sweden for Harry Nystrom. Laurin was considered a radical designer in his time and created only 3 sixes; Sinkadus (1939), Gallant (1947) and Trickson VI (1948).
Gallant was only sailed for a few seasons in Sweden before being imported to Canada by George Cuthbertson to Lake Ontario. Nick Jako later owned and sailed her on Lake Ontario from 1973 until 2004, when she was purchased and rebuilt by Eric Jespersen Boatbuilders, of Sidney, British Columbia. In her, Eric Jespersen, with his father and son as crew, won the 2009 Classic World Championships in Newport, Rhode Island.
Eric later sold the boat to Rainer Muller, who asked Eric to defend her World Champion title in Helsinki at the 2011 Worlds where she finished 2nd. Next, under Ross MacDonald’s direction, Gallant won at the 2012 European Championships in Nynashamn, Sweden. Gallant then competed in the 2013 World Championships at Flensburg, Germany, where she won the Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup and placed 7th of 24 entries in the Worlds, helmed by Don Martin.
Gallant was in Europe for four seasons, remaining for the 2015 World Championships at La Trinité sur Mer, France. She then returned to Canada for the 2017 World Championships in Vancouver, where she sailed to victory helmed by His Majesty Don Juan Carlos de Borbón. She was victorious again a year later, winning the classic division of the European Championships in La Trinité sur Mer. Since then she has won every European Championship and every World Championship – apart from 2022 when she came second, but retained the title in 2023 – making her the boat to beat among the classics.
This boat features in our Six Metre Story “The Six Metres in Spain” which was published to celebrate the 2022 World Championships held in Sanxenxo, Spain. You can read the story here.
Thank you to Fiona Brown and Tim Street for information contributing to this profile.
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