Ssangyong Winning Appliances NSW 18ft Skiffs

by Frank Quealey on 26 Nov 2006 The Club Marine 18ft Skiff team of Euan Mc Nicol, Scott Babbage and Cameron Mc Donald took out their second win of the Ssangyong Winning Appliances NSW 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today to set up a great finish to the championship next Sunday.

John Winning’s Ssangyong came home in second placing today, 53secs behind Club Marine, but retains a narrow lead going into the final race.

Third placing today and third overall in the championship goes to the defending champion team of Fiat, skippered by Michael Coxon, which was just 5secs further back.

Minor placings in today’s race went to Omega Smeg (Gary Phillips) fourth, followed by Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris) and Asko Appliances (Hugh Stodart).

After each team discards its worst performance to date, Ssangyong Yandoo has a net score of 6 points, ahead of Club Marine on 7, Fiat 9, Rag & Famish Hotel 10, AAPT 16 and Asko Appliances also on 16.

Today’s race began badly for the Fiat crew who, along with Active Air-2UE (John Sweeny), were recalled for breaking the start.

Fiat returned but the Active Air-2UE’s crew didn’t know they were over and kept sailing to the windward mark.

It was unfortunate for Sweeny and his crew as they actually led the fleet around that buoy.

Officially, Omega Smeg was a narrow leader from Maytag, AAPT, Club Marine, Ssangyong Yandoo, Gotta Love It 7 and Asko Appliances.

Fiat and Rag & Famish Hotel were 15th and 16th respectively.

Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Cuddihy) was the star of a long and spectacular spinnaker run from Clarke Island to Obelisk Bay to grab the lead from Omega Smeg.

Mc Nicol stayed close to shore as the fleet worked back into the southerly wind and took a 20secs lead from Asko Appliances. Omega Smeg was third, ahead of Fisher & Paykel with Fiat now up to fifth place some 40secs from the lead.

Club Marine extended her lead to 1min 15secs at Clarke Island and was never in danger of defeat over the final lap of the course.

Most interest centred on the battle for second placing with Ssangyong Yandoo sailing a superb final lap to take second placing from Fiat.

Next Sunday’s final race winner will most likely also decide the championship winner with such small margins between the leading competitors.

It is likely that the excellent crowds following the championship to date will test the capacity of the spectator ferry.