Please select your home edition
Edition
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_GP TOP

NSW 18ft Skiff Championship - Race 1 to Gotta Love It 7

by Frank Quealey on 12 Nov 2012
Closer view of skiff racing. Frank Quealey /Australian 18 Footers League http://www.18footers.com.au
Pre-race favourite Gotta Love It 7 took out Race 1 of the NSW 18ft Skiff Championship by 1m58s on Sydney Harbour today, but the win was far from as easy as the margin suggests.

The Gotta Love It 7 team of Seve Jarvin, Scott Babbage and Peter Harris took full advantage of a mark rounding error by Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon) to grab victory only in the final stages of the race. Second placed today was Pure Blonde (Tom Clout, Matt Wark and Rob Bell), with Appliancesonline.com.au (Micah Lane, Paul Montague and Tom Anderson) a further 22s back in third place. John Winning’s Yandoo was fourth, followed by Rabbitohs-Kenwood (Brett Van Munster) and Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones) in sixth place.

Results are provisional at this time as Pure Blonde has lodged a protest against Gotta Love It 7 for a breach of the port and starboard rule.


The race was sailed in a typical light Easterly breeze which varied in strength and direction throughout the course.

Pure Blonde won the start at the boat end of the line but Thurlow Fisher Lawyers was soon challenging for the lead as the fleet headed for the first windward mark in Rose Bay.

Thurlow Fisher Lawyers crew work was excellent as they picked the shifts to lead Appliancesonline.com.au by 10s as spinnakers were set for the run to the wing mark off Clarke Island.

Yandoo was another 10s behind Appliancesonline, with Mojo Wine (James Dorron), Rabbitohs-Kenwood (Brett Van Munster) and Coopers-Rag and Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney) heading the rest of the fleet.

It was all Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on the spinnaker legs back to the bottom mark off Kurraba Point where her lead had extended well beyond one minute.

There was some confusion in the crew on which way to round the mark and it took two attempts for them to make sure. A lack of wind affected the chasers as several skiffs began to bunch up behind Thurlow Fisher. Mojo Wine finally moved into second position to start the next windward leg, ahead of Appliancesonline, Yandoo, Pure Blonde, Kenwood-Rabbitohs, Asko Appliances, Coopers-Rag and Famish Hotel and Gotta Love It 7.


In the variable conditions, there was a wide spread of the fleet across the harbour as the fleet made its way back into Rose Bay. Conditions took a toll on several teams while others benefitted from taking the correct course.

It made little difference to Thurlow Fisher Lawyers as she continued to set the pace from Pure Blonde, Appliancesonline, Gotta Love It 7, Coopers-Rag and Famish Hotel, Smeg (Nick Press) and Asko Appliances.

The leading group opted for a variety of courses downwind and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers approached the bottom mark in a seemingly winning position.

To the amazement of spectators, the Thurlow Fisher crew incorrectly went around the mark on a port tack. By the time the crew realized that, it was too late and Thurlow Fisher elected to retire. The Gotta Love It 7 crew took full advantage of the Thurlow Fisher error and sailed superbly over the concluding two legs of the course for an ultimately easy win.

There were many close finishes amongst the top 10 skiffs as the breeze freshened a little.

Race 5 of the AEG 3-Buoys Challenge will be sailed next Sunday with the Spectator Ferry leaving Double Bay Public Wharf at 2.15pm.







 

Finish

Placings

 

Recall #

 

Boat Name

Finish

Time

Elapsed

Time

 

Handicap

Corrected

Time

H/Cap

Position

1

7

Gotta Love It 7

16:01:03

1:26:03

0

1:26:03

8

2

9

Pure Blonde

16:03:01

1:28:01

7

1:21:01

1

3

5

Appliancesonline.Com.Au

16:03:23

1:28:23

3

1:25:23

7

4

2

Yandoo

16:03:26

1:28:26

6

1:22:26

2

5

13

Rabbitohs-Kenwood

16:06:36

1:31:36

5

1:26:36

9

6

3

Asko Appliances

16:06:48

1:31:48

9

1:22:48

3

7

14

The Kitchen Maker

16:06:49

1:31:49

8

1:23:49

4

8

6

Rag & Famish Hotel-Coopers

16:07:32

1:32:32

5

1:27:32

12

9

8

Smeg

16:08:13

1:33:13

5

1:28:13

13

10

11

Mojo Wine

16:08:18

1:33:18

6

1:27:18

11

11

10

Fisher & Paykel

16:09:31

1:34:31

10

1:24:31

5

12

4

Delonghi-Rabbitohs

16:10:00

1:35:00

10

1:25:00

6

13

17

Haier Appliances

16:12:12

1:37:12

10

1:27:12

10

14

12

Lumix

16:15:50

1:40:50

6

1:34:50

14

15

19

Team Southern Cross

16:22:02

1:47:02

10

1:37:02

15

16

18

Lomax Financial Group

16:26:13

1:51:13

10

1:41:13

16

17

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

18

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

21

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

22

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

24

25

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

26

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

28

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

30

 

 

Ella Bache

 

 

 

 

31

 

Non Starters

Non Finishers

 

Thurlow Fisher

 

Team Daly

 

Southern Cross Engineering

 

 

 

 

Comments:

Sailing Time:  1:26:03

Fastest Time:  Gotta Love It 7

Margins:  1st - 2nd  0:01:58

2nd - 3rd  0:00:22

At this stage of the season all skiffs must display on the

Mainsail, a sponsors logo, colour patch as described in the class rules or a 450mm high recall number as per the sailing instructions. For example Team Daly is Recall no 15. Any of these 3 aternatives is OK.

Austrailian 18 Footers League website
Sea Sure 2025Rooster 2025Mackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Conversation with Ben Willows: CEO RS Marine Group
Some people's passion for sailing runs so deep, it feels like it's woven into their DNA There are some people whose passion for sailing runs so deep, it feels like it's woven into their DNA. Ben Willows is one of those people.
Posted today at 7:00 pm
101st Bayview Mackinac Race starts on Saturday
A massive fleet of 183 monohulls and 9 multihulls will set off to race entire length of Lake Huron It is one day to go, and the fleet is assembled in Port Huron before the start of the 101st Bayview Mackinac Race, organized by the Bayview Yacht Club and presented by National Fleet Services.
Posted today at 6:15 pm
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 4
Balanger dominates qualifying, storm cuts Gold fleet racing short Day four of the 2025 Moth World Championship opened at dawn with another early start for the 137 athletes from 25 nations competing on Lake Garda.
Posted today at 5:47 pm
iQFOiL Worlds in Aarhus overall
Thrilling Medal Series closes out a spectacular week of high-stakes foiling in Denmark The 2025 iQFOiL World Championship wrapped up in Aarhus with a spectacular Medal Series showdown that saw Emma Wilson (GBR 7) and Andy Brown (GBR 360) rise to the top and secure World Championship titles.
Posted today at 5:37 pm
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Three preview
This has produced the overall winner of two of the last six editions IRC Three may consist of smaller, slower and in some cases older boats than those that will garner headlines in the first couple of days of the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Posted today at 4:12 pm
Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship preview
This year's regatta will be the largest of its kind ever hosted in Tallinn Tallinna Yacht Club brings one of the biggest sports events of the summer to Haven Kakumäe - 300 young sailors expected at the Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship, plus just as many supporters on shore!
Posted today at 3:00 pm
18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona day 1
Opening victories and nautical splendor This week, Barcelona once again takes center stage in the world of classic sailing as the 18th edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica gets under way. The opening day delivered ideal conditions for a spectacular display on the water.
Posted today at 12:28 pm
Rolex Fastnet Race: IRC Two Preview
With 73 entries in IRC Two, the Rolex Fastnet Race is set to deliver a striking display. Could two new JPK 1050s upset the apple cart in IRC Two? Jean-Pierre Kelbert has a habit of breaking the mould in IRC racing, and his new 34-footer may well be a game changer in this competitive division with 73 entries.
Posted today at 10:36 am
Dragon Edinburgh Cup in Torbay overall
Tight Racing and Tactical Brilliance The final day of the 2025 Edinburgh Cup brought sunshine, shifting breeze, and two exciting races that kept the championship wide open until the very last run.
Posted today at 8:13 am
Seldén Rodkicker 50 - manual rigid vang
Specifically sized for yachts between 50 and 55 feet A Rodkicker rigid vang is designed to enhance sail handling during reefing and allows for greater sail trim control.
Posted today at 8:00 am