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18ft Skiff Winnings 2024 JJ Giltinan Championship Day 6

by Frank Quealey 9 Mar 2024 00:23 PST 1-10 March 2024

A brilliant victory by the Rag & Famish Hotel 18ft skiff team in Race 8 of the Winnings 2024 JJ Giltinan Championship on Sydney Harbour today has set up a fantastic final race tomorrow to what has been one of the best 18 footer regattas seen on the harbour for many years.

With the coveted JJ Giltinan World 18 Footer Trophy up for grabs to the winner, Yandoo goes into the finale with a two points lead over Rag & Famish Hotel, while third-placed defending champion Andoo, a further five points back in third place, is unable to win the title again in 2024.

Toady's win by The Rag's team of Harry Price, Josh McKnight and Finn Rodowicz brought comments such as "demolished the fleet" and "what a performance" from experienced race commentators and even those comments barely indicate the domination of the team as it powered away to a 3m29s win.

The ever-improving Lazarus team of Tom Cunich, Marc Chapon and Tim Morishima, after being recalled for being over the line at the start, overcame a great battle with the New Zealand ASCC (Eli Liefting, Adam Mustill and Josh Schion) to take second place just 39s ahead of the kiwis.

Series leader Yandoo (Micah Lane) came home in fourth place ahead of Finport Finance (Keagan York), Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell), Germany's Black Knight (Heinrich Von Bayern), Big Foot Bags and Covers (Fave Hayter), Balmain (Henry Larkings), and The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Jacob Marks).

Yandoo has a net score of 13 points and, with a worst place fourth in the regatta, can finish no worse than with a total of 17 points. Rag & Famish Hotel has a score of 15 points but can't afford to include her worst score of seventh place in Race 6 yet still win the title.

The Rag must finish no worse than second in tomorrow's race to have any chance.

Both teams have also won three races during the regatta, should The Rag finish second tomorrow, and Yandoo third, both teams would also have two second places, and both could have the same number of third placings.

This could potentially end up a tied series.

Third placed overall is Andoo (John Winning Jr) with a total of 20 points, followed by Finport Finance on 37, ASCC on 47, Black Knight 47, Lazarus 48, Big Foot Bags and Covers 51, Balmain 57, Marine Outlet (John Cooley) 61, Vaikobi 64 and The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines 67.

Today's race was sailed in a light North-East (8-12kt) breeze with all leading contenders, except Andoo, carrying their big #1 rig.

Racing up the long windward leg to the Beashel Buoy was close with Lazarus, ASCC, Finport Finance, Bloody Dane (Jesper Brondum) and Rag & Famish Hotel all in the leading group.

Lazarus held a 6s lead over ASCC with The Rag just a few seconds further back, followed by Finport Finance, Andoo and Yandoo, which was about 30s from the leader.

The rest of the fleet was headed by Valkobi, followed by Balmain, Black Knight, The Oak, Big Foot, Team Vic (Scott Cunningham), Marine Outlet and Bloody Dane.

Rag & Famish Hotel has always been fast downwind and today she was exceptional as she quickly grabbed the lead on the run to the wing mark off Shark Island and left the fleet in her wake.

At the wing mark oshe had already raced to a 30s break over Lazarus and ASCC. On the following spinnaker run between Shark and Clark islands the margin had blown out to 1m20s over Lazarus, ASCC and Yandoo, which was now more than two minutes from the lead.

On the second beat back to Beashel Buoy Rag & Famish Hotel was in a race of her own as she had extended the lead to a massive 2m30s over Lazarus and ASCC. Vaikobi had worked her way into fourth place ahead of Finport and Yandoo, which was now almost four minutes from the lead.

While The Rag had the race at her mercy over the final lap of the course, the contest for the rest of the podium positions was brilliant as Lazarus and ASCC raced alongside each other, exchanging positions as they approached the Beashel Buoy.

ASCC narrowly won the battle to the Beashel Buoy but Lazarus fought back into second place on the spinnaker run to the wing mark off Shark Island and edged further ahead of ASCC to the finish.

The Australian 18 Footers League also conducts a 'handicap' section in conjunction with the championship and the battle for the lead in that pointscare is as close as the battle in the major title.

Lazarus leads the point score with a total of 33 points, followed by ASCC on 35, Rag & Famish Hotel on 37, Big Foot Bags and Covers 46, Marine Outlet 49 and Sixt (Nathan Edwards) on 54.

Tomorrow's Race 9 is the final race of the Winnings 2024 JJ Giltinan Championship. Racing starts at 2:45pm. The Australian 18 Footers League's spectator ferry will follow the race, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf at 2.15pm, and SailMedia will livestream all the action.

View Sunday's Race 9 of the Winnings 2024 JJ Giltinan Championship on the Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com homepages.

Results after Race 8:

PosTeamR1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8Pts
1Yandoo (Micah Lane / Fang Warren / Lewis Brake)1312132413
2Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price / Josh McKnight / Finn Rodowicz)4231371115
3Andoo (John Winning Jnr / Seve Jarvin / Sam Newton)21262161320
4Finport Finance (Keagan York / Matt Stenta / Phil Marshall)313511445537
5ASCC Racing Team (Eli Liefting / Adam Mustill / Josh Schon )858552813347
6Black Knight (Heinrich Van Bayern / Thomas Martin / Andy Martin)519671057747
7Lazarus Capital Partners (Tom Cunich / Marc Chapon / Tim Morishima)172874864248
8Big Foot Bags and Covers (Dave Hayter / Ben Roxburgh / Elliott Mahar)1371212723851
9Balmain (Henry Larkings / Flynn Twomey / Fynn Sprott)661589118957
10Marine Outlet (John Cooley / Cam Gundy / Charlie Gundy)144113620121161
11Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell / Andrew Stephenson / Daniel Barnett)12144271189664
12The Oak Double Bay / 4 Pines (Jacob Marks / Alex Marinelli / Matt Doyle)799131210101067
13Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis / Jacob Broome / Josh Feldmann)9121491414141486
14Sixt (Nathan Edwards / Alex Leslie / Locky Pryor)151110161512191998
15VIC Racing Team (Scott Cunningham / Brody Riley / David Cunningham)2010131016192212100
16smeg (Nathan McNamara / Jed Cruikshank / Jack Taylor)111528191891118101
17Shaw and Partners (Emma Rankin / Cam McDonald / Tom Quigley)1028161817161520112
18C‑Tech QLD (Josh Sloman / George Morton / Angus Barker)168172313281622115
19Burrawang‑Young Henrys (Simon Nearn / Cam Walker / Paddy Bannon)1816201423152015118
20Bloody Dane Racing Team (Jesper Brondum / Tobias Hemdorf / Max Seydl)2417221519282317137
21The Kitchen Maker/ Ceasarstone (Lachlan Steel / Jerome Watts / Ben Kirkby)1918282820131728143
22Noakes (Bec Hancock / Lindsay Stead/ Brandon Buyink)2320182721222816147
2318 Footers Bar and Restaurant (Hugo Stoner / Hugo Leeming / Hamish Vass)2222282022181825147
24RAYC Racing Team (Jack Frewin / Ollie Gilmour / Luc Gladwell)2128232128172821159
25UK 91 Racing Team (Luke Goble / Simon Toplak / Max Seydl)2521282724212123162
26Hoefle Haus (Holger Hoefle / Cam De Nardis / Felix Gruse)2723241725232526163
27ASCC 2 Racing Team (Craig Keenan / Sam Richardson / Gavin Ninnes)2628212228282424173

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