Late starters make for an easy 18 footer win

by Glen Stanaway on 22 Nov 2005 Michael Carter, his brother Chris and Luca Rizzotti took an easy win on their 18 foot skiff Synergy on the weekend with half of the fleet starting late. The only real threat to their win was Mike Boyd’s Sydney Star Accommodation who for the first part of the race was within reach of Synergy.

The late start caused some controversy after the race with many of the sailors feeling that the Sydney Flying Squadron’s Race Committee should have delayed the start to allow late running competitors to sail to the start area.

Wentworth Courier Sydney Weekly’s Ian Pretty, and Avaya’s Michael Rynan were the most vocal about the prompt start arguing that it makes for poor racing and it would be better for the fleet if we waited for the majority to make it to the start.

However in a new era of professionalism and improved race management, the Race Committee focused their consideration towards those sailors who did get to the start area on time, and allowed them to start without the late runners.

Sydney Star Accommodation got the best start in the fleet, and quickly asserted a strong lead and presence on the first leg. However a tactical error in failing to cover Synergy allowed Carter to take a better line of breeze in an area of the harbour that had a favourable tide, which put Synergy in front at the first rounding mark.

It was not just a fight between these two either. Chris Kameen’s Austar was maintaining a menacing presence just behind the two leaders. At the first rounding mark Austar drove above Sydney Start Accommodation and looked like overtaking. Boyd answered the challenge by powering up his own skiff and locking Kameen out behind him.

Boyd looked like overtaking Carter as the three skiffs sailed past Shark Island, however a blunder by Sydney Star Accommodation in sailing past the turning mark allowed Synergy to streak away and Austar to sneak past into second place.

The next windward leg though and Boyd powered past Kameen and reasserted second place. The top three places remained unchanged for the remainder of the race.

Mid fleet there was some exciting action, with Intercall’s Matt Dubreucq trying to catch and pass club stalwart Adrian Dunphy on Ella Bache. The pair traded places for much of the race, with Ella Bache eventually beating them home. Frame Group skippered by Craig Doran managed to keep clear of the pair for much of the race, but was aware that the short distance between them both would easily be lost if they made a mistake. This pressure kept Doran focused and he hung on to take fourth place.

The more interesting episode took place on Dinghy Solutions however, with world champion team member Tim Austin losing his bowman Sebastian Maxwell-Williams overboard. Tim and his remaining crew James Christian were able to hold steady as the SFS rescue boat retrieved an unimpressed Maxwell-Williams from the harbour and return him to his skiff. In the transfer of crew back onto the skiff the rescue vessel and skiff became entwined and Dinghy Solutions sustained enough damage to their tiller extension and leeward wing that they had to retire from the race.

In other racing from the weekend saw the Garde 12 Foot Skiff event dominated by Brett Hobson (Garde) and Nick Press (Yabba Dabba). Class stalwart Jim Walsh (Woof) was expected to perform strongly but had to retire from the last race with gear damage.

In the 14 foot skiffs Ant Little (Test Eagle) took a scrappy win that saw as much dueling with the uncompromising Manly Ferry as it did between competitors. The race should have been dominated by Ed Blackman (Muppet Show). However Blackman brothers Ed (skipper) and Toby (sheet hand) engaged in a spectacular disagreement whilst rigging the skiff which resulted in Toby resigning from the team, effective immediately. Ed Blackman did not start the race and is understood to have already secured a new team member for this coming weekend’s race.

This coming Saturday will see the first of the club’s 18 Footer Sprint Series. This event will have both the Grand Prix 18s and the equally spectacular Historic 18 footers doing two races on a tight circuit. This makes for spectacular viewing from the club’s spectator ferry as racing is close and tight. It also makes it harder for the competitors as the shorted courses don’t allow the better boats to stretch their lead to a comfortable margin. A single mistake will see a skiff lose many places and no chance for recovery on such a short course.

Results - Sydney Flying Squadron 18 Foot Skiffs Club Championship Heat 2

1. Synergy! (M Carter)
2. Sydney Star Accommodation (M Boyd)
3. Austar (C Kameen)
4. Frame Group (C Doran)
5. Ella Bache (A Dunphy)
6. Intercall (M Dubreucq)
7. Avaya (M Rynan)
8. Macquarie (M McKensey)
9. Sign-a-Rama (J Kelly, did not finish)
10. Dinghy Solutions (R Scarr, did not finish)
11. Wentworth Courier Sydney Weekly (I Pretty, did not finish)