The Port Jackson Championship is regarded as one of the most unforgiving races on the 16ft skiff calendar.
One small mistake or miscalculation and your day can be over as Sydney Harbour shows who’s boss over two gruelling hours. The 2024 edition did not stray from the script on Saturday, with a slip up on the run home costing Belmont’s Swell Racing (Matt Meaney) the lead and handing Bosker Build (Sarah Lee) from St George the prestigious title.
Swell Racing looked to have the race in its keeping as it headed to Shark Island, eyeing off two different marks. Unfortunately for them, they chose the wrong mark and were ruled out under the NSC (Did Not Sail the Course) regulation. Lee, Kurt Warner and Pete Mackie on Bosker Build didn’t need a second invitation, pouncing on the opportunity to snatch the lead before cruising home to victory.
But Lee, the defending 16ft national champion, was the first to admit they rode their luck. “Swell Racing sailed an incredible race. We’d got ourselves into second place by the second mark and followed them around for the rest of the day,” she said. “We would catch up to them and then they would extend and we just couldn’t get past them. “There was a red mark near the Shark Island YA (Yachting Australia) mark and Swell Racing went round the YA mark instead of the red mark on the way home. “They didn’t get the title they deserved and we were able to capitalise.”
The race, as always, tested the 46-strong fleet in every way imaginable. “The conditions were a bit of everything. There were super light patches, especially at the start of the race, then very gusty and windy patches,” Lee continued. “The course forces you to sail angles that we don’t normally have to. There were lots of very tight reaches where you had to push the boat to the limit with the kite up. “It’s a race that wasn’t part of our skiff program until recently but we’re rapt to win it.”
Bosker Build is the old Southerly reimagined. The boat found a new sponsor, was given a respray and a lot of love over winter, while Kurt Warner replaced the incomparable Ricky Bridge on the sheet. This season we aren’t putting too much pressure on ourselves. We just want to get a few good results and have a good time sailing together,” Lee explained. “So far things have panned out well. We love sailing together and will have a fun time and maybe get a few wins along the way. “Mackie and Kurt are hugely talented and I’m very lucky to be part of the Bosker Build program.”’
A familiar face – Manly’s three-time national champion Clint Bowen – claimed handicap honours aboard Fluid Building. Manly boats dominated the 13ft division, filling the top six places.
Harken (Heidi Bates) was first home, almost three minutes ahead of clubmate Cybertechgroup.org (Coby Napper) and Botany Scaffold (Sophie Hart). Napper clinched the handicap win.
WORDS | Adam Lucius
IMAGES | SailMedia
