Club Championship 2026 at Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club - Heats 1 & 2
by Adam Lucius 30 Sep 01:39 PDT
Balmain skipper Zoe Dransfield received a reminder of how fickle 16ft skiff racing can be at the same time a high school student made a name for himself as Manly's 2026/27 club championship got under way on Saturday.
Dransfield and crew Hugh Stodart and Jamie Stodart christened their new boat in fine style in the day's first race, leading from start to finish to cross the line well ahead of Imagine Signage (with guest skipper Spencer McKay) and Employment Hero (Dave O'Connor).
Hoping to back that win up with another podium finish in race two, Balmain instead endured a horror outing in the 10-15 knot nor'easter and finished a distant 10th.
"We had a glamour first race and felt super-fast around the course and were able to keep it low pressure and extend our lead after the first mark to finish a minute in front of the next boat," Dransfield said.
"But the second race we tried to push a close cross with Buckingham Marine and had a bit of a miscommunication and poor crash tack that resulted in a capsize.
"It was my first race with the new boat and we definitely need a bit more practice. We kept putting ourselves in high pressure situations that led to a few mistakes but it's good to make those now so we have something to work on.
"Overall, it was a bit of a mixed day with lots of moments of brilliance but some mistakes to iron out.
"We're really excited with our new sponsors and so happy with how good the new boat looks.
"It still smells like fresh paint, and everything is so smooth to use so I'm loving it and really excited for a great season."
While Balmain struggled to make an impact in race two, the youngest sailor in the fleet pulled off a stunning win in the second heat of the afternoon.
Sixteen-year-old fill-in skipper Goro Tomishima - alongside experienced duo Gus Williams and Matt Stenta - piloted Buckingham Marine to victory after hauling in Employment Hero in the second last downwind run.
Hi (Robert Size) finished third.
Standing in for holidaying skipper Daniel "Ruffy" Turner, Tomishima earlier claimed a fourth in heat one.
It prompted Andrew "Dolly" Divola to joke on the livestream commentary: "So Ruffy, don't rush back from Bali. You can stay up there and get your head braided and a tattoo."
But Ruffy can rest easy.
Young Goro, who is in Year 10 and in his first full year in Manly's 13ft fleet, is happy to bide his time and take his opportunities in the 16s when they come.
"It was really good fun. The boat was really fast and there was a lot of adrenaline happening and they (Williams and Stenta) really looked after me," he said.
"It's different to the 13s or the 29ers...it's so fast and the fleet's so competitive and you can't afford to make a mistake.
"Hopefully I get another chance to sail with them again."
Twenty-three skiffs answered the starter's gun, with newcomers Chapman High Performance Sailing (Andrew Chapman, Peter Kendall, Peter Nicholson) and Hi (Rob Size, Lachy Prior, Paul Darmanin) welcome additions.
In what is shaping up to be a red-hot fleet in the 13ft skiff class, Harken's new team of Meg Bates and Joe Corbel won heat one, with Modern Concept Constructions MCC (Tayla Lees/Max Barrett) second.
MCC took out heat two to secure an early grip on the championship.