Musto Skiffs at the Stokes Bay Sailing Club 2025 Skiff Open

Unloading the containers from Sydney for the Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay © David Annan

Unloading the containers from Sydney for the Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay © Tom Scott

Summer arrived early on the south coast of England to add some glitter to an already sparkling line-up of 28 competitors, many coming from far and wide to tie the event in with the return of the containers from the Sydney 2025 Worlds.

In the end, it was newly crowned World Champion Andy Tarboton (Turbo) who took the event win, but only just after tying on points with another multiple World Champion, Bruce Keen, who looks like he's ready to stir things up again this season.

The weekend started early with the Friday morning delivery of the containers, bacon rolls, and the usual camaraderie of everyone mucking in to unload what we had packed up some 11 weeks ago in the blistering heat of Woollarha Sailing Club. What a joy to see everything return in one piece!

Then, of course, with boats freshly assembled, it was inevitable that we'd all end up going out for a sail in the afternoon for a shake down before the real fun began. A lovely sail in proper bikini weather, with the majority staying back for a cracking evening in the club bar with the provisions of local ales and a meat raffle, before retiring with our spoils to the campsite.

Race day dawned with glorious sunshine and a fresh north-easter. Tea brewed and a meat feast prepared, we battled through gout (or was it Gamekeeper's thumb) to make final preparations for the day.

Out on the water, it was blowing around 15-20 kts off the land, making for gusty conditions with the top marks set under the shore to keep us clear of the shipping channel. The tide was a big factor too, flooding in firmly, sweeping boats up to (and sometimes under!) the committee boat.

In the first race, Jono Shelly took a narrow lead up the final beat, overhauling both Bruce and Turbo to claim the first bullet of the day. Bruce took second (the first of his three that day), but Turbo took a dip (quite telling of the conditions), letting Brennan Robinson, sailing magnificently with the small mainsail (Musto Skiff X-sail) to take third.

Conditions were lively, and a few were heading for shore by the time the second race got under way. This time, Eddie Bridle pulled out an early lead, which he held to the finish. Another shout-out to Brennan, who this time took 5th place. The X-sail really does look like a game-changer for lighter crews in the heavy breeze.

Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Turbo managed to claim the bullet in the third race, Bruce second, and Ben Clegg keeping it together to claim a third. Brennan AGAIN in 5th. The win was enough to see Andy on pole overnight on countback from Bruce, with Shelley in third.

An evening in the club with a hearty lasagne provided the arena for the tales of the day, of which there were plenty. It had been a big day out.

Start line during the Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Sunday started with another breakfast feast before launching again under blue skies, another north-easter, this time 8-15 kts, and lovely flat water.

Jamie Hilton had one of those races where every tack found a lift and every gybe hooked a gust to take a commanding lead around the track, lauding the applause from his would-be challengers at the finish. The chasing pack was a tight affair, led in by Bruce Keen, looking odds on for second place, before presumably assuming it was a three lapper and, in that split second, handed the position to Ben Clegg. The fine margins in sport, with this proving costly to Bruce's overall position and would be win.

Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Eddie picked up the batten again, taking the win in the second race of the day, with Turbo taking second and Dan Vincent taking third after a brilliant final run knitting the now patchy gusts together superbly.

Bruce was leading going into the final race, but it was Turbo and Jono who were looking famous around the top mark with Bruce some way back. Then the gradient wind gave in to the sea breeze with the apparent flick of a switch. Euan Hurter took full advantage to slip into the lead. Turbo hung on to second, and with Bruce back in sixth, it was enough to win the event by the narrowest of margins. Hilton took third overall, 5 points back but in good company with Jono and Eddie, all within a point.

Andy Tarboton during the Musto Skiff Open at Stokes Bay - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

A brilliant event to get the season (and summer) properly under way. A huge thanks to the club and organisers, the galley and bar staff, the meat raffle, the shore and safety support, and finally to David Annan, who did a superb job in organising our boats safely and timeously around the world and back.

Event photo gallery by Tim Olin Photography on flickr here.

Overall Results: