Leaders Modern Concept Constructions adopted the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) theory to take the sting out of the contest early en route to a maiden club championship victory on Saturday.
In what was a winner-takes-all shootout pitting the three leading contenders – MCC (Kurt Hansen), Moonen Yachts (Daniel Turner) and Imagine Signage (Nathan Wilmot) – against each other across the final two heats of the season, MCC won the first heat of the day to give themselves some important breathing space.
MCC just had to finish fourth or better in the next heat and did just that, claiming a runner-up finish to clinch an emotional victory.
A single point had separated each of the three top boats heading into the final day, but MCC’s podium double saw them take the title by six points.
Moonen was runner-up with Imagine third and a fast-finishing Red Pumps (Tyler Dransfield) fourth. Hansen believes the key to his boat’s success was to not over think things.
The skipper and crewmates Chris Williams and Jackson Cranfield had road-mapped how they wanted to attack these last two heats and carried out the plan to perfection.
“We’ve been thinking about it and talking a lot over the past couple of weeks about how we were going to go about it,” Hansen explained. “And our motto for the day was to try and do less and keep it simple. “It’s not very often you get to the end of a regatta and have that pressure where any one of three boats can win it.
“Anytime we’ve lost a race, we’ve been guilty of trying to do too much. Saturday was about not trying to overplay our hand and not worrying too much about what the opposition was up to.”
For Hansen and Williams it marked a first club championship win, while Cranfield last celebrated victory 10 years ago aboard the Clint Bowen-skippered Fluid Building Services. Williams has been in the Manly fleet a decade and long dreamed about this day.
No wonder the party went well into the night. Hansen said: “We are absolutely stoked to win this. There’s some huge names on that trophy and to be on there with them is very exciting.
“I’m particularly happy for Chris. He put so much time and effort into the boat and it’s great to see him get the reward. “Both of them (Williams and Cranfield) were so much help to me.”
The MCC crew are unsure whether they will be back to defend their crown next season, with Hansen half-joking he’d have to lose some weight over winter to retain his spot.
Red Pumps’ two podium finishes on Saturday secured them the handicap division on countback from Red Pumps Red (Zoe Dransfield).
IMAGES | SailMedia
WORDS | Adam Lucius
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@manly16ftskiffs
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Modern Concept Constructions crowned Manly 16s Club Champions
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