NSW 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour - Race 1

The 18 footers 2022-23 championship season began today when the Australian 18 Footers League staged Race 1 of the NSW Championship in a mainly 8-10 knot North East wind on Sydney Harbour.

The series favourite Andoo team of John Winning Jr., Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton gave a polished performance to lead for almost the entire course and take out the race by 31s from Smeg (Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge and Tom Anderson) which closed the gap on the winner on the spinnaker run to the finish line.

Ilve (Cam Gundy, Harry Bethwaite and Charlie Gundy) grabbed the lead soon after the start and was well placed throughout the entire race before finishing in third place, 3m34s behind Smeg.

Fisher and Paykel comes home in fourth place just ahead of The Rag - 2022-23 NSW Championship, Race 1 - photo © Frank Quealey

Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis) was another consistent performer to finish fourth, ahead of Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price), Yandoo (John Winning), Birkenhead Point Marina (Kirk Mitchell) and The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone (Lachlan Steel).

The early battle for the lead saw Ilve match it with Andoo and Rag & Famish Hotel as the fleet headed from the start at Clark Island to the topmark (Beashel Buoy) in a light North East breeze.

Andoo's team took the decision to sail to the RHS of the course while The Rag went to the left. It was a move which gave Andoo a 10s lead over Ilve as the fleet set their spinnakers for the first spinnaker run to the wind mark off the southern end of Shark Island.

Smeg had sailed consistently to hold third place, 30s behind Andoo, followed by Fisher & Paykel, Birkenhead Point Marina, 18 Footers Bar and Restaurant (Pedro Vozone) and Rag & Famish, which lost out badly and was trailing the leader by more than one and a half minutes.

A big wind change hits the leader on the run to the finish - 2022-23 NSW Championship, Race 1 - photo © Frank Quealey

Once in the lead, the Andoo team was faultless and opened up a break over the chasers while Smeg grabbed second place from Ilve on the spinnaker run between Shark and Clark Islands.

Andoo's lead was 50s at the top mark on the second lap of the course and most interest in the race for spectators became the battle behind the first three boats.

Birkenhead Point Marina, Fisher & Paykel, Yandoo and Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings) were the most prominent before a massive change in the wind, as the group approached the top mark on the final lap, turned the race upside down.

Andoo was around one minute ahead of Smeg as the latter team approached the Beashel Buoy but due to the change Smeg was 2m45s behind Andoo when she finally rounded the mark.

On the run to the finish it was Andoo which had the wind difficulty which allowed Smeg to get back to within 31s of the winner.

Ilve's performance was impressive and the Cam Gundy-led team won the W.C. 'Trappy' Duncan Memorial Trophy section of today's race, which is the eighth race for the season point score trophy.

Yandoo, season point score leader - 2022-23 NSW Championship, Race 1 - photo © Frank Quealey

Yandoo leads the season point score with a total of 38 points, followed by The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Alex Marinelli) on 40, Smeg 43, Birkenhead Point Marina 54, Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Jim Colley) 59 and Fisher & Paykel on 60.

Shortly after the start - 2022-23 NSW Championship, Race 1 - photo © Frank Quealey

Race 2 of the NSW Championship, for the Alice Burton Memorial Trophy, will be sailed next Sunday (December 4).

Spectators can follow the action on board the club's spectator ferry, as they have done for the past 87 years, which leaves Double Bay Wharf alongside the clubhouse at 2pm.

Booking online through the club's website www.18footers.com is essential, 18footers.com/18-footer-racing/spectator-ferry.

For anyone who can't make it out onto the water, the League's live broadcast team will be out on Sydney Harbour to capture all the action. Live streaming is available at www.18footers.com by clicking on the '18 Footers TV' link.

Starters and Judges Report