Club Championship, Race 2
Sixt Spring Championship, Race 3
Eric Bowen Memorial Trophy
Today’s Race Sponsor: Marine Outlet
Sunday, 3 November 2024
Sydney Harbour
Another impressive performance by the talented Rag & Famish Hotel 18ft skiff crew of Harry Price, Max Paul and Finn Rodowicz secured the team their second win of the series when they took out Race 2 of the Australian 18 Footers League’s Club Championship, on Sydney Harbour today.
In a race that produced a great four-boat battle through much of the north-east course, Rag & Famish Hotel set the early benchmark for the major national and international regattas later in the season when she led at every rounding mark.
Finport Finance (Keagan York, Miles Davey and Phil Marshall) tried hard and pushed The Rag’s team all the way before crossing the finish line 1m35s behind the winner.
Yandoo (John Winning, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake) was a further 19ss behind Finport Finance in third place, followed by Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell), Balmain (Henry Larkings), Smeg (Nathan McNamara), The Kitchen Maker (Lachlan Steel), Sixt (Jacob Marks), Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Emma Rankin) and Burrawang-Young Henrys (Simon Nearn).
Finport Finance was later disqualified for using unmarked sails and Yandoo was elevated to second place, ahead of Vaikobi. All other teams behind Vaikobi, who completed the course, were also elevated by one place.
After the two races sailed so far in the series, and with allowance for the disqualification of Finport Finance, Rag & Famish Hotel leads the points table with a total of two points, followed by Vaikobi on six points, Balmain on nine, Sixt and The Kitchen Maker on 13 and Lazarus (Tom Cunich) on 16.
Thirteen teams faced the start in a 12-14 knot north-east wind and the race quickly developed into a great battle up the first windward beat from Clark Island to the Beashel Buoy.
The lead changed several times as Yandoo, Vaikobi, Rag & Famish Hotel and Finport Finance raced with only seconds separating the four teams as they battled for supremacy.
Rag & Famish Hotel eventually won the battle and led by one boat-length from Vaikobi as the pair set spinnakers for the run to the wing mark off the southern end of Shark Island.
Yandoo was 10s behind Vaikobi with Finport Finance in fourth place, ahead of Balmain and Smeg which were heading the remainder of the fleet.
The Rag extended her advantage to 20s over Vaikobi at the wing mark then to 45s at the end of the spinnaker run, and first lap of the course, off Clark Island.
At that point, Finport Finance was in third place, one minute behind the leader, followed by Yandoo, Balmain, Smeg, Sixt and The Kitchen Maker.
Finport Finance produced a strong performance on the second beat to the Beashel Buoy and reduced The Rag’s lead to 20s before the pair set off for the long spinnaker run down the centre of the course to the bottom mark off Clark Island.
With the final lap ahead of them Rag & Famish Hotel led Finport Finance by 30s at Clark Island.
Finport Finance had just taken 30s out of the Rag & Famish Hotel’s lead on the previous lap – could she do it again over the final lap?
Harry Price and his team was at its best as Finport mounted the challenge and the skills of match racing champion Price was obvious as he kept The Rag in a tight hold over Finport and finally rounded the weather mark at the Beashel Buoy with an winning break of 1min over Finport Finance.
Race 3 of the Sixt Spring Championship series was held in conjunction with the Club Championship and victory went to the consistent The Kitchen Maker team of Lachlan Steel, Jerome Watts and Darcy McCracken from Yandoo, Rag & Famish Hotel in third place.w
With three more races still to be sailed in the series, Rag & Famish Hotel also leads the progress points table for the Sixt Spring Championship, with a total of nine points.
Vaikobi is in second place on 11 points, followed by Balmain on 13, The Kitchen Maker on 17, Burrawang-Young Henrys on 19 and Yandoo on 25 points.
Images from today’s racing are attached.
Next Sunday the Australian 18 Footers League will conduct Race 4 of the Sixt Spring Championship. The club’s regular spectator ferry will follow the race, leavin Double Bay Public Wharf at 2pm, and SailMedia will livestream all the action.
Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.