Australia's top 18ft skiff sailors set for Sunday's Club Championship
by Frank Quealey 31 Jan 21:53 PST
5 February 2023
Yandoo at speed © Michael Chittenden
Conditions on Days 1 and 2 of last week's Australian 18ft Skiff Championship produced some great action and set up what could have been one of the best finishes to the title for several years, but unfortunately it was marred by a lack of wind on the final day.
Fortunately, however, for the disappointed spectators and competitors, the fleet will be back on Sydney Harbour this Sunday (February 5) when the Australian 18 Footers League conducts the Burrawang Village Hotel-sponsored Race 14 of its 2022-23 Club Championship series.
All teams will be primed for a big performance as they line up for the critical race, which is one of the last hit-outs before the 73rd JJ Giltinan World Championship, which will be contested on the same course from March 4-12.
The quality of the teams in line to win Sunday's race, and the overall championship, which concludes on February 26, is amazing and should be a must-see for all sailing fans, either on the harbour or via Sail Media's livestream action direct from the race course.
The link to Sunday's Sail Media livestream is:
(drone images, taken from Sail Media's livestream are attached, along with usual images)
Series leader Andoo is skippered by the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Line Honours winning skipper of AndooComanche, John 'Herman' Winning, with team mates Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton, also part of the successful AndooComanche crew.
Second placed Smeg also boasts a champion team and is in great form as the world title approaches.
Smeg's skipper Michael Coxon is a four-time winner of the Giltinan world championship and has been runner-up six times in the world's greatest 18 footer championship. He is teamed with another world champion, Ricky Bridge, on the sheet and top bow man Tom Anderson.
John 'Woody' Winning, who heads the strong Yandoo team of Fang Warren and Josh Porebski, holds a unique position. He is not only the father of the skipper of his main rival but was also a crew member of AndooComanche in the Sydney-Hobart race.
Newly crowned winners of the Australian 18ft Skiff Championship, Keagan York, Angus Williams and Phil Marshall will also be out to consolidate the excellent form shown by their new Finport Finance skiff since it was launched just three weeks ago.
Other leading teams in contention for victory on Sunday also include some of the best Australian sailing talent available.
Two new skiffs this season are in the hands of two of the brightest new 18 footer talents. Rag & Famish Hotel, is skippered by 2017 Youth World Match Racing champion Harry Price, and Balmain Slake is skippered by twice Australian 29er champion Henry Larkings, who also placed 3rd at the 2018 Youth World Championship in Corpus Christi, California.
Jim Colley is back in the 18s after missing the 2021-22 season, and has his talented Shaw and Partners Financial Services team challenging strongly for a win after finishing 4th in the NSW Championship just two weeks ago.
Marcus Ashley-Jones (Lazarus), who finished 5th in last year's Giltinan world championship, and former Australian Cherub champion Kirk Mitchell (Birkenhead Point Marina) are two more of the experienced skippers who will be looking to impress.
Sunday's race sponsor, Burrawang Village Hotel will have another big interest in the Season Point Score section of the championship race as its skiff, Burrawang-Young Henrys, skippered by club Commodore Simon Nearn, is leading the club's prestige season title by a margin of 12 points.
Burrawang-Young Henrys has a total of 86 points, followed by The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Alex Marinelli) on 98, Yandoo on 100, Lazarus 102, Smeg and Shaw and Partners Financial Services both on 103.
Licensee of Burrawang Village Hotel, Peter Dean and his family have a long association with sailing and Peter was another member of the victorious crew on AndooCommanche in the recent Sydney-Hobart race.
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 wants to take a look at Sail Media's action videos from the 2021-22 season, including the 2022 JJ Giltinan Championship, go to www.18footers.com and click on the '18 Footers TV' link.