It’s well known that you can’t win a nine-race series on Day 1 but the Imagine Signage crew of Nathan Wilmot, Ricky Bridge and Simon Hoffman made a commanding statement yesterday as the 2025 Hervey Bay Boat Club 13ft and 16ft Skiff Australian Championships got underway.
The Manly team’s winning margin of 1m25s, against a highly competitive fleet, was impressive enough. The fact they suffered three separate breakages and had to recover from an average start made it even more meritorious.
Wilmot was too busy immediately post-race to conduct interviews but noted it had been exceptionally hard work, despite the apparent ease of their performance.
The south-east breeze was on the upper limits of the No.1 rig, with steep chop further testing the equipment’s resilience. Race officer Hugh Leicester set a lengthy upwind beat and centreboards were regularly exposed during the high-speed downwind legs.
Uncharacteristically, the 52 starters were late to the line. Modern Concept Constructions (MCC) led by half a minute at the first mark, chased keenly by a pack that included IMEI, Insight Building Services NAVS, Moonen Yachts, Contender Sailcloth and Imagine. Wilmot hit the front on lap 2 and never looked like easing the pedal.
MCC held on to second place, to the delight of skipper Kurt Hansen: “We had a ripper lead at the top mark and had a good battle with the guys on Imagine but they were just too quick,” he said. “You don’t want to win the first race – that’s a bit too bold,” he added, jokingly. “A great way to start though.”
Daniel Turner and his crew aboard Moonen Yachts gave Manly a trifecta by taking the final podium place. “A podium is our goal, and we’ll take it, but in this fleet it might not cut it by the end of the regatta,” he said. “We had clear air for most of the day and just chipped away. The top-5 pack was moving at a pretty steady pace, so if you slip up you’re out the door.”
East Coast Marine and Sail claimed fourth and was best of the Belmont 16s contenders.
In the 13ft Skiff division, The Kitchen Maker (Tayla Lees and Oliver Barrett ) enjoyed a confidence-building victory over the fancied Harken team of Heidi Bates and Orlando Sadlick, winning by 1m2s in the 21-boat fleet.
“It’s good to get out there and know that we can be fast and among the top boats,” Lees said. “We didn’t have the best start but we had good speed and kept passing people that way.”
Races 2 and 3 will be sailed back-to-back today, the Queensland holiday town of Hervey Bay turning on warm, sunny weather and moderating breezes.
Key regatta sponsors are The Boat Club Hervey Bay, Fraser Coast Regional Council and Fraser Island Boat Charters. More details at the event website.
RESULTS: https://ty.skiffs.org.au/assa/202425/
– Mark Rothfield
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