18ft Skiffs Spring Championship Final - just 10pts cover top seven
by Frank Quealey on 17 Nov 2017
Race 4 winner De'Longhi in close action on the first spinnaker run Frank Quealey / Australian 18 Footers League
Despite some less than favourable wind conditions, the Australian 18 Footers League's inaugural 7-race Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour has been an outstanding success.
The three-Buoys championship has produced six different winners from the six races sailed so far and has exposed some impressive credentials of the new, young teams who have performed so well.
Going into Sunday's final race of the championship, only 10 points separates the top seven teams and the likely overall winner can come from any one of these teams.
Present leaders on the points table:
Panasonic Lumix (Jordan Girdis) - 20
Finport Trade Finance (Keagan York) - 22
Rag and Famish Hotel (Bryce Edwards0 - 24
The Kitchen Maker (Stephen Quigley) - 28
Appliancesonline.com.au (Brett Van Munster) - 29***
Yandoo (John Winning) - 29
Smeg (Lee Knapton) - 30
Picking the overall champion is practically impossible if the form in the six races sailed so far continues into the last race on Sunday.
Winners of the six races sailed so far are:
Race 1 Panasonic Lumix Jordan Girdis, Lachlan Doyle, Nathan Edwards
Race 2 Triple M James Ward, Adam Gillson, Huon Oliver
Race 3 Quality Marine Clothing Aron Everett, Courtney Mahar, Charlie Gundy
Race 4 De'longhi Simon Nearn, Grant Rollerson, Brandon Buyink
Race 5 ILVE Ollie Hartas, Pedro Vozone, Rob Polec
Race 6 Noakes Youth Kirk Mitchell, Daniel Barnett, Tim Westwood
The influx of new, young talent into the Australian 18 Footers League's fleet over the past few seasons has accelerated this year with the retirement of some of the long time 18ft Skiff sailors.
Club officials focus on introducing new talent each season, as a means of ensuring the continuation of the centry-long class on Sydney Harbour, and the present group has impressed some of the class' best judges.
Former JJ Giltinan champion Stephen Quigley has been at the forefront of junior coaching and is very much responsible for the talent on the water in the fleet, as well as the positive attitudes of the young men.
It goes well for the ongoing strength of the skiffs on Sydnbey Harbour.
The Australian 18 Footers League's Spectator Ferry will follow all the action of the final on Sunday, and will leave Double Bay Public Wharf, alongside the clubhouse, at 2.15pm.
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