Race 3 Australian 18ft Skiff Championship -Sydney

by Frank Quealey on 20 Jan 2008 Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Robert Bell tightened their grip on the Australian 18ft Skiff Championship with another impressive win in Gotta Love It 7 in Race 3 of the series on Sydney Harbour today.

Gotta Love It 7 took the lead soon after the start and was never headed over the north-east course to score a 25secs victory from Michael Coxon’s Fiat, with defending champion Macquarie Real Estate (Micah Lane) just 8secs further back in third place.

Adam Beashel’s Club Marine finished fourth, followed by Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris) and Ssangyong Yandoo (John Winning).

With half the championship now completed Gotta Love It 7 holds a clear lead on 5 points, followed by Rag & Famish in second place on 10 points. Club Marine is third on 14 points.

Macquarie Real Estate holds fourth position on 15 points, Ssangyong Yandoo 17 and Omega Smeg (Trevor Barnabas) on 21.

Pure Blonde (James Francis) won the start but Gotta Love It 7 took over midway up the windward beat to the Beashel Buoy.

Jarvin and his team led by 30secs at the windward buoy with Fiat in second place, followed by Omega Smeg, Asko 2 (Ian Henderson), Macquarie Real Estate, Pure Blonde, Club Marine and Ssangyong Yandoo.

Gotta Love It 7 retained their lead on the downwind legs back to Double Bay but her margin had been halved by Fiat which was now only trailing by 15secs.

Macquarie Real estate gained two placings to move in to third ahead of Club Marine, Omega Smeg, Ssangyong Yandoo and Rag & Famish.

The ‘7’ crew covered Fiat on the next windward leg and regained her 30secs margin as the pair turned for the downwind leg down the middle of the course.

Macquarie gained to be just one boat length behind Fiat at that point.

From there to the finish Gotta Love It 7 had little difficulty in retaining a comfortable lead.

Former national champion Hugh Stodart (Asko Appliances) won race 1 of the series but every thing has been downhill since then.

Stodart and his team were sailing well in the lead in race 2 before having a spectacular capsize which saw them finish in sixth place.

Following that race they were disqualified after a protest.

Today was no better when they capsized soon after the start and had to battle hard to get back for a 9th placing – some four minutes behind the winners.

Races 4 and 5 of the championship will be sailed next weekend.

Race 4 will be sailed on Saturday (Australia Day) 26 January and Race 5 on Sunday 27 January.

Australian Championships Race 3 Entrants: 24

Wind: NE 8-18 Tide: Flood 14:44:00

Boat Name Finish Time Elapsed Time Handicap Corrected Time Handicap Position

1 GOTTA LOVE IT 7 16:04:50 1:20:50 1 1:19:50 5
2 FIAT 16:05:15 1:21:15 3 1:18:15 1
3 MACQUARIE REAL ESTATE 16:05:23 1:21:23 3 1:18:23 2
4 CLUB MARINE 16:06:08 1:22:08 3 1:19:08 3
5 RAG & FAMISH HOTEL 16:06:27 1:22:27 1 1:21:27 9
6 SSANGYONG YANDOO 16:06:53 1:22:53 1 1:21:53 12
7 OMEGA SMEG 16:07:06 1:23:06 2 1:21:06 8
8 PURE BLONDE 16:08:23 1:24:23 4 1:20:23 6
9 ASKO APPLIANCES 16:08:57 1:24:57 0 1:24:57 16
10 CST COMPOSITES 16:09:41 1:25:41 5 1:20:41 7
11 KEITH PIGGIN REAL ESTATE 16:10:41 1:26:41 7 1:19:41 4
12 MAYTAG 16:10:55 1:26:55 4 1:22:55 13
13 KINDER CARING 16:12:19 1:28:19 5 1:23:19 14
14 FISHER & PAYKEL 16:12:37 1:28:37 5 1:23:37 15
15 THURLOW FISHER 16:12:47 1:28:47 7 1:21:47 10
16 DE LONGHI 16:14:24 1:30:24 5 1:25:24 17
17 NOAKES YOUTH 16:15:51 1:31:51 10 1:21:51 11