Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

18ft Skiff 2023-24 Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour Race 5

by Frank Quealey 5 Nov 00:43 PST 5 November 2023

Today's Trophy: Chris Webb Memorial Trophy
Today's Race Sponsor: Finport Finance

The Smeg 18ft skiff team of Nathan McNamara, Jed Ctuikshank and Jack Taylor used its superior downwind speed over the concluding leg of the course to grab a last minute victory in Race 5 of the Australian 18 Footers League's 2023-24 Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

A brand new unsponsored skiff, presently names "Put Your Name Here' (Kirk Mitchell, Andrew Stephenson and Daniel Barnett) led from the start of the race but was unable to hold back the challenge of Smeg as the two teams raced gybe-for-gybe downwind to the finish line off Robertson Point.

Smeg crossed the finish line only 10s ahead of Put Your Name Here after 70 minutes of sailing over a three-lap windward-leeward course in a variable 10-14knots Easterly breeze.

Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Emma Rankin, Cam McDonald and Tom Quigley) continued to impress with another consistent performance, and was also closing in fast on the first two boats and finished just 8s further back in third place.

Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis), another of the consistent performers in the Spring Championship, finished in fourth place, ahead of The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Jacob Marks) with Andoo (John Winning Jr) in sixth place.

With only one more race left to be sailed in the series (on Sunday week, November 19), The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines leads with a total score of 24 points, followed by Yandoo (John Winning) on 27, Fisher & Paykel 28, Smeg 31 together with Balmain (Henry Larkings) 31 and Shaw and Partners Financial Services on 32.

Although weather conditions were far from good, the fleet continues to produce some of the best racing seen in the Spring Championship for several seasons and has showcased the talents of many young skippers and crew who have joined the 18 footer class in 2023-24.

The Put Your Name Here (PYNH) team had a brilliant start to the race and within a short time had opened up a substantial lead as the fleet made its way from Robertson Point to the first set of windward 3-buoys in Rose Bay.

The racing for the placings behind the leader was tight but PYNH was 45s ahead of series leader The Oak as spinnakers were set for the long run back to the bottom mark.

Shaw and Partners, Smeg and Sixt (Nathan Edwards) were in the next group behind The Oak, with Fisher & Paykel, Lazarus (Jack Ferguson), Balmain and Burrawang-Young Henrys (Brett Van Munster) not far behind that trio.

At the bottom mark at the end of the first lap, PYNH's lead had extended to 1min over The Oak, followed by Shaw and Partners, Fisher & Paykel, Smeg, Sixt and Balmain, while Andoo led the scratch boats, in eighth place.

The 3-buoys system allowed Put Your Name Here to extend her lead over The Oak at the following weather mark in Rose Bay when her team took advantage of going to the blue buoy while The Oak's team had to travel further to the white buoy,

The handicapping system was working as Smeg (going to the blue buoy) managed to edge ahead of The Oak (white buoy) as spinnakers were set for the run back to Robertson Point. Shaw and Partners (also the blue buoy) benefitted from the handicap and was also putting pressure on The Oak.

Smeg's downwind speed on each lap of the course was outstanding and the team was a clear second placings after the run and the fleet was headed back to Rose Bay for the final time. The leaders 2m30s advantage at Rose Bay had been reduced to 1m45s and the race was on to see which team would grab the honours.

Again the 3-buoys handicap system was going to be a major factor as Put Your Name Her and The Oak would have to go to the white buoy while Smeg and Shaw and Partners had only to go to the lesser distance of the blue buoy.

While PYNH went around the white buoy 1m10s before Smeg went around the blue buoy, the distance on the water between the two boats was minimal and it was a two-boat gybing battle as each team tried to out-think the other in a classic 18 footer finish - all while Shaw and Partners continued to close in fast just a short distance away.

It was the fifth excellent race of the new season, now all teams will be able to relax a little next week when the club stages a non-pointscore event in which each boat will carry a fourth hand - representing the boat's sponsor.

Racing in the Spring Championship will resume with the final race of the series to be staged on Sunday November 19.

Don't forget, you can join the Australian 18 Footers League's 'Alternative Ferry in the League's clubhouse and enjoy all the racing action LIVE on the massive screen broadcasting the SailMedia Livestream camera cat coverage of the racing, and there will be special drinks and food offers for those attending who wish to support their favourite team.

It's a really unique way to celebrate the great racing we have seen at the start of the 2023-24 season and all 18 footer supporters are welcome to come down to the clubhouse 'Alternative' Ferry.

Overall Results:

PosTeamR1R2R3R4R5Pts
1The Oak Double Bay / 4 Pines (Jacob Marks / Alex Marinelli / Matt Doyle)10423524
2Yandoo (John Winning Snr / Fang Warren / Josh Porebski)2864727
3Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis / Jacob Broome / Josh Feldmann)9546428
4Balmain (Henry Larkings / Flynn Twomey / Fynn Sprott)313321031
5smeg (Nathan McNamara / Jed Cruikshank / Jack Taylor)83712131
6Shaw and Partners (Emma Rankin / Cam McDonald / Tom Quigley)46109332
7Andoo (John Winning Jnr / Seve Jarvin / Sam Newton)510181640
8Burrawang‑Young Henrys (Simon Nearn / Cam Walker / Paddy Bannon)12787842
9Finport Finance (Keagan York / Matt Stenta / Phil Marshall)1111681147
10Sixt (Nathan Edwards / Alex Leslie / Locky Pryor)6912101249
11Your Name Here (Kirk Mitchell / Andrew Stephenson / Daniel Barnett)1518115251
12Marine Outlet (John Cooley / Cam Gundy / Charlie Gundy)718118953
13The Kitchen Maker/ Ceasarstone (Lachlan Steel / Jerome Watts / Ben Kirkby)11215111655
14Lazarus Capital Partners (Tom Cunich / Aiden Manley / )1819141557
1518 Footers Bar and Restaurant (Hugo Stoner / Hugo Leeming / Hamish Vass)13125171461
16Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price / Josh McKnight / Harry Hall)181414131372
17Noakes Red (Bec Hancock / Henry Stabback / Charlie Gundy)141813171880

Related Articles

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 5 and 6
Price's last minute decision proves successful A last minute decision by skipper Harry Price to sail his first 18ft skiff race of the season proved successful when he steered the Rag & Famish Hotel team to victory in both races of the NSW 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today. Posted on 10 Dec
An unsponsored team challenges for the title
Put Your Name Here second on the NSW 18ft Skiff Championship leaderboard The present leaderboard at the 2023-24 NSW 18ft skiff Championship is unclear because of a complicated protest, relating to last Sunday's Race 4, which is due to be held prior to next Sunday's two races in the series on Sydney Harbour. Posted on 6 Dec
18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 3 and 4
25-knot southerly wind on Sydney Harbour In contrast to the light, variable conditions of last Sunday's opening day of the 2023-24 NSW 18ft skiff Championship, today's racing on Sydney Harbour was conducted in a 25-knot southerly wind which produced an action-packed day of speed racing Posted on 3 Dec
Will the feeling of déjà vu continue?
In the 2023-24 NSW 18ft Skiff Championship Fluctuating winds and a number of start and racing incidents affected Day One of the 2023-24 NSW 18ft skiff Championship, which was conducted by the Australian 18 Footers League on Sydney Harbour last Sunday. Posted on 29 Nov
18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 1 and 2
Defending champions hold a narrow lead The defending champion Andoo team of John Winning Jr, Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton hold a narrow lead after the first two races sailed on the opening day of the 2023-24 NSW 18ft Skiff Championship. Posted on 26 Nov
18ft Skiff NSW Championship preview
The race towards the 2024 JJs begins this weekend The recently completed Australian 18 Footers League Spring Championship produced some exciting fleet racing over the past six weeks and a magnificent spectacle of unbelievable spinnaker action in a 28-knot 'black nor'easter' last Sunday Posted on 22 Nov
18ft Skiff 2023-24 Spring Championship overall
The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines became the 2023-24 Australian 18 Footer League's Spring champions The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines team of Jacob Marks, Alex Marinelli and Marc Chapon became the 2023-24 Australian 18 Footer League's Spring champions following a sensational final race of the six-race Spring Championship series Posted on 19 Nov
18ft Skiffs: Sunday's big final Spring showdown
Can the young team beat the defending champions? Next Sunday's final race of the Australian 18 Footers League's 2023-24 Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour is expected to go right down to the final leg of the course with just four points separating the leading three teams on the point score table Posted on 15 Nov
18ft Skiffs: Sponsor's Race
The Australian 18 Footers League took a step back into history The Australian 18 Footers League took a step back into history on Sydney Harbour today when it staged a non-point score Sponsors' Race, with each competing skiff carrying a fourth hand representative of the boat's sponsor Posted on 12 Nov
18ft Skiffs: The League's Youth Policy
Looking for a future world champion in Sydney The current success of the young talent in the Australian 18 Footers League's 2023-24 season fleet has the club excited about the future of the sport on Sydney Harbour and the prospects of producing more world champion sailors Posted on 8 Nov
PredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOMJ Composites 2022 - J45 v4 FOOTERNorth Sails Performance 2023 - FOOTER