18ft Skiffs - 2019 JJ Giltinan Championship, Races 5 & 6
Wednesday, 6 March 2019 - Sydney Harbour
With a lack of wind at the scheduled race start time, and the prediction of more wind due later in the afternoon, race officials decided to hold the teams on shore until a firm decision could be made about the day’s racing on Sydney Harbour.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
When the first wind from the south came in around 2:00pm the decision was made by the race officials and the race got underway one-and-a-half-hours after the scheduled time.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Following a race which could best be described as ‘being in the right place at the right time’ the Honda Marine team of David McDiarmid, Matt Steven and Brad Collins crossed the finish line one minute 17 seconds ahead of Smeg, to score their third win of the regatta.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Smeg (Michael Coxon, Mike McKensey, Ricky Bridge) continued their consistent form from yesterday to take second place 43 seconds ahead of the Asko Appliances (James Dorron, Harry Bethwaite, Trent Barnabas).
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Honda Marine heads the points table with a score of nine points, followed by Smeg on 13 points, Winning Group (John Winning Jr.) on 16 (includes an average in Race 2), Asko Appliances on 28, ASCC (Josh Porebski) on 42 and Finport Finance (Keagan York) on 43.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Conditions were light as the fleet sailed from the start off Steel Point and the fleet quickly spread out as each team searched for the best conditions.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
At the top mark, Winning Group led narrowly from Asko Appliances with Honda Marine in third place, followed by The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone (Jordan Girdis), Noakesailing (Sean Langman), and Smeg.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
The following leg back to the bottom mark was nothing short of crazy as Winning Group sailed into a lull off Bradleys Head and went from the lead to near last midway through the run.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
As different teams found themselves in some breeze, the lead changed a number of times before Honda Marine finally reached the bottom mark 45 seconds ahead of The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone, with Smeg a further 15 seconds back, followed by Asko Appliances and Winning Group.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Over the second lap of the course the breeze settled more to the SE and the Honda Marine team had little difficulty retaining the lead to score a relatively comfortable win.
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| Photo: Frank Quealey/18 Foot Skiff League |
Due to the conditions, race officials decided not to sail the second race, and a decision on when it will be sailed will be made tomorrow.
Frank Quealey
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