The Andoo team of Seve Jarvin, Matt Stenta and Sam Newton became a deserved winner of the 2021-22 100th Australian 18 Footer Championship which concluded on Sydney Harbour today.
With three wins, a second and two thirds from the seven races, Andoo finished the championship with a total of 14 points, followed by Smeg (Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge, Zac Barnabas) on 22 points and Noakesailing (Sean Langman, Ed Powys, Josh Porebski) on 33 points.
Defending champion Tech2 (Jack Macartney) finished in fourth place on 37 points, followed by Finport Finance (Keagan York) on 41 points and Lazarus Capital Partners (Marcus Ashley-Jones) on 43 points.
Today’s racing was split into two distinctive races with the first (Race 6) sailed in a patchy NE breeze and the latter, Race 7, in a much steadier breeze.
The defending champion Tech2 team (Jack Macartney, Charlie Wyatt, Lewis Brake) took out Race 6 with an outstanding performance which resulted in a 2m 9s victory over The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Aron Everett, John Cooley, Charlie Gundy) with Smeg a further 14s back in third place.
In a tight finish Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Steve Thomas) came home in fourth place, ahead of Andoo and Ilve (Jono Whitty).
Macartney and his team grabbed the lead mid-way up the first beat when they elected to go to the RHS of the course north of Rose Bay and picked up a favourable breeze which enabled Tech2 to lead narrowly from from Shaw & Partners, Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price) and Yandoo (John Winning).
Tech2’s downwind speed and the team’s decision to go back to the same side of the course which gave it the lead was a winner and Tech2 totally dominated the rest of the race to score an easy victory.
The breeze was more settled and definitely a little fresher as the final race got away with Andoo and Tech2 immediately going into a match race style contest in a pre-start jostle, then up the first windward leg.
Jarvin and his team then elected to go to the northern shore (LHS of the course) as they did in the previous race while Macartney and his team repeated their earlier race decision and went to the right.
This time, the LHS was far more successful and Ilve led at the top mark from Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings), Noakesailing, Andoo, Finport Finance and Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis).
Ilve and Balmain Slake continued to lead the fleet back down the harbour to the bottom mark north of Clark Island before a gear failure to Ilve saw the team forced to retire, leaving Balmain Slake a narrow leader over Noakesailing, Andoo, Finport Finance, Smeg and Fisher & Paykel.
A problem for the Balmain Slake team on the spinnaker drop cost it the lead and a good battle developed between Noakesailing and Finport Finance over the entire final lap of the course.
With only 200 metres left on the course it appeared that the Sean Langman-led Noakesailing would be the winner before a wonderful finishing burst by Finport Finance, gave Keagan York and his team its best result of the season when they crossed just 1s ahead of Noakesailing.
Andoo finished another 11s back in third place, which was enough to give the team its championship victory.
In yet another tight finish, Smeg finished fourth ahead of Lazarus Capital Partners and Balmain Slake.
Next Sunday is the last race of the Club Championship. Spectators can follow the racing on board the club’s spectator ferry on Sunday February 13, however due to the COVID-19 policy, numbers are limited. Booking online through the club’s website is essential: http://www.18footers.com.au/18-footers-sailing/spectator-ferry/
For those unable to make it out onto the water, the club’s Sail Media live-as-it-happens broadcast team will be on Sydney Harbour each day to capture all the action. Live streaming is available at www.18footers.com by clicking on the ’18 Footers TV’ link.
Don’t forget – the 2022 JJ Giltinan Championship will be sailed on Sydney Harbour, from March 5-13.
Follow all the club’s racing throughout the 2021-2022 Racing Season:
Club Website www.18footers.com
Twitter @18skiff
Instagram @18skiff
Facebook International 18Ft Skiff
By Frank Quealey / Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.
