Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas produced another brilliant performance in Thurlow Fisher-City to score their second consecutive victory in Race 2 of the NSW 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today.
The trio had to produce their very best to outlast the strong challenges of Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Tom Clout), Yandoo (John Winning, David Gibson, Andrew Hay) and Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris, Peter Harris, Scott Babbage).
The four teams had staged a race long battle with only a few secs. separating them at several rounding marks.
Thurlow Fisher-City's winning margin over Gotta Love It 7 was 45secs. Rag & Famish Hotel was a further 20secs. back in third place, 11secs ahead of Yandoo.
It was also a great result for the sponsor as Thurlow Fisher-City had only come on board this week to support the team which previously raced as Sponsor Wanted.
The leading point scores after the two races sailed to date: Thurlow Fisher-City on 2 points, Gotta Love It 7 on 4, Rag & Famish Hotel 7, De'Longhi (Simon Nearn) and Smeg (Nick Press) equal on 11 and Pure Blonde (James Francis) sixth on 15 points.
Yandoo narrowly won the race from the start in Taylor Bay to the windward mark in Rose Bay, to lead Gotta Love It 7, Project Racing (Andy Budgen), Thurlow Fisher-City and Asko Appliances (Archie Massey), which had sailed to the western side of Shark Island.
De'Longhi, Rag & Famish, Thurlow Fisher-Bankstown (Bruce Savage), Gill (Dave Alexander), Pure Blonde and Smeg were in close pursuit.
The Yandoo team extended their lead to 10secs. over Gotta Love It 7at the bottom mark off Robertson Point with Thurlow Fisher – City in third place.
Yandoo extended it to 20secs at Clark Island but it was now Thurlow Fisher-City in second place and beginning to make a serious challenge.
Rag & Famish Hotel was now third with Gotta Love It 7 falling back to fourth place.
The three leaders decided to 2-sail reach across the harbour while Jarvin and his team elected to set their spinnaker on Gotta Love It 7 soon after rounding the Clark Island mark.
Thurlow Fisher-City sailed a slightly better course to the Chowder Bay mark and grabbed a narrow lead from Yandoo while Rag & Famish and Gotta Love It 7 retained their positions.
There was less than 10secs separating the foursome at the mark.
From that point, Coxon and his team were never headed despite the pressure from the Gotta Love It 7 team.
Thurlow Fisher-City turned for home with a 25secs lead over Gotta Love It 7.
On the work to the finish, Coxon covered Jarvin's every move in a classic match race style and eased further away for a great win.
Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers league
