ACO 14th Musto Skiff World Championship 2025, Sydney, Australia - Day 1
by Jamie Hilton 5 Jan 20:52 HKT
2-10 January 2025
With the Pre-Worlds behind us, the fleet strapped in for what promised to be a bold and beautiful first day of the Musto Skiff World Championships with a strong north-easterly blowing down the main harbour against an ebb tide and barely a cloud in the sky.
The day started with the usual antics in the boat park, everyone checking their boats over and giving them their final fettle before pushing off for the scheduled 13:00 start.
Race 1
After two failed starts, the fleet got away under a black flag to enjoy some epic upwind conditions, fully planing, many with daggerboards up to new seen heights and slapping over the harbour chop. With the presence of harbour traffic and rogue waves, there was even the chance of surfing upwind and the need to be on guard for the threat of pitch-poling. This was special.
The fleet split both left and right, most leading left until they ran out of runway under the cliffs of Clifton Bay before tacking back into the tide and traffic, others heading right to make the most of the right handers out of Watsons Bay. The top mark was hotly contested with the Newman brothers, Danny Boatman, Eddie Bridle, Andrew Tarboton (Turbo), Rob Richardson (RoRi), the two Jono's (Shelley and Neate), Marcus Hamilton (Hammo), and Matthias Houvenagel (Matty) all in the mix. Round the mark they went, fetched the spacer mark, and then up with the kites. What happened next was special. The kind of run that turns your eyelids inside out. A full foam up.
Most of the fleet opted for a straight set and headed over the western shore, possibly for more pressure but more likely to minimise manoeuvres and hope for a single gybe strategy. Some were straight into full set-it-and-send-it mode, locking into the foot loops and trying to boss the conditions, while others were a little more respectful. There was the inevitable graveyard in the gybe zone, and further down the track, 100m shy of the leeward gate, the chop deepened and steepened to catch the bows of many more to haul them over their proverbial handlebars. Those that avoided trouble were revelling. Those that suffered were preparing their lines for some brilliant stories in the club bar later.
RoRi, Matty, Jono, and Turbo made it round in one piece and led the fleet into Round 2. At the front of the fleet, RoRi, Turbo, and Matty rounded the top mark in that order and held position into the finish. The rest of the fleet battled round in the testing conditions, but what a joy racing in this setting!
Between races, the fleet took shelter to recuperate and catch its breath in Rose Bay before the flags went up for Race 2. This proved to be just as brutal as the first race but arguably a little breezier, now touching 26 knots at times.
Race 2
Danny Boatman and Paul Newman again showed up in the top spots at the top mark. RoRi and Matty were a few boats back but were quick into the loops to attack the run with their usual verve, with Jono Shelley and Turbo closely in pursuit. For those still on the beat, it was a sight to behold as they properly sent it down the track. Unfortunately for Danny, Paul, and Jono, they succumbed and swam, but Matty, RoRi, and Turbo again kept it upright to make it all the way round unscathed to finish in that order. Jono recovered to take fourth from a chasing Jamie Hilton and fleet newcomer Tom Cunich (helm of the 18-footer 'Lazarus'), who will definitely be one to watch.
Back ashore, there was a real buzz in the boat park, tales aplenty, before the serious business of paella and a few beers before resting up for a much-needed lay day.
The Man of the Match award goes to Steve Robson (Robbo), who, despite not feeling up to racing today, got his wetty on to help launch and recover the fleet off the NE-facing slip.
Results after Day 1: (top three)
1st - Robert Richardson (GBR)
2nd - Matthias Houvenagel (AUS)
3rd - Andy Tarboton (RSA)
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