Geotherm handles wild weather to claim 12ft Skiff Paramatta River Championship
by Di Pearson/12ft Skiff media 8 Nov 22:56 NZDT
8 November 2025
Today's top three in a tight tussle - 12ft Skiff Paramatta River Championship © NSW 12ft Sailing Skiff Association
Brett Hobson and Peter Nicholson made a return to 12ft sailing today and did it in style by pushing Geotherm (Sydney Flying Squadron) to a 54 second win over Sail Inc.'s Nick Press and Andrew Hay in wild weather at the Parramatta River Championship, hosted by Abbotsford 12ft Sailing Club.
While the 12s beat the storm home, seeing only a little rain, Hobson said ashore: "That's the worst westerly I've ever sailed in, it was a shocker - a tough day - the wind was all over the place."
He and Nicholson got an average start, while Sail Inc. (LC12'SSC) and Arrogant Frog (Peter and Steve Hill from the host Club) got away smartly.
"They got great starts - they port tacked the fleet," Hobson said. "We were mid-line and probably third off the start and worked our way into the front just after it."
Hobson said he and Nicholson had "moments of glory and moments of disaster - and a bit of luck."
It was a confusing day for all, as Hobson described the day on the water: "It was mainly nor' west with strong tide the other way, then an east/nor-easter came in and beat the westerly breeze.
"We got a good jump, just by chance, I think. Nick (Sail Inc.) caught us and we got away again. It was a bit of snakes and ladders between us.
"We had a capsize. We got completely blown over sailing upwind, we just got knocked straight over in a freak gust, but we got up quickly and kept going. I think everyone went over, except Nick," Hobson recalled.
"Sometimes it was so windy and other times we were sitting in the middle of the boat because it (wind) dropped right off. We were hooting along and sometimes it was hard to keep upright," ended Hobson, who along with everyone else was relieved when the four lap course was shortened by half a lap.
Sail Inc., from Lane Cove Sailing Club won the season opener, the NSW Upper Harbour Championship two weeks ago, but Geotherm did not race at that event. The two crews are the top ranked 12ft skiff sailors in Australia and therefore 'the ones to beat'.
Will Beck steered for Murray Press today. He and Mark Muirhead, sailing Red Energy (LC12'SSC), were on the pace today, skating home in third place, little more than a minute adrift of Sail Inc.
Dave Winning and Cam Gundy on Your Move Conveyancing, (LC12'SSC), the handicap winners at the Upper Harbour Championship two weeks ago, kept the momentum going to win again today.
The Parramatta River Championship, along with NSW Championship (to be held over two weekends at the end of November and early December), will be good indicators of who in the NSW contingent might transition well to the 63rd Interdominion Championship, to be hosted by the Australian 18 Footers League on Sydney Harbour between 3-10 January 2026.
Sponsored by triSearch, a subsidiary of InfoTrack www.trisearch.com.au, with support sponsorship from Your Move Conveyancing yourmoveconveyancing.com.au and Pete's Home Loans www.peteshomeloans.com.au, the Interdominion is the pinnacle of 12ft skiff sailing.
For all information on the 12ft Skiff class and its events, please visit: www.skiff.org.au