The team of Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Scott Babbage finished only fourth today, behind winner Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas), but their performances over the five races saw them finish with an overall total of 26 points.
Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney, Mark Kennedy and Peter Harris) also finished on 26 points but lost to Gotta Love It 7 after the countback went to each team’s third best placing in the series.
Second-placed today was Yandoo (John Winning, Andrew Hay, David Gibson), which
finished 2m27s behind Thurlow Fisher Lawyers and also took out third place overall on 30 points.
Thurlow Fisher Lawyers finished fourth overall on 31 points, ahead of Kenwood-Rabbitohs (Brett Van Munster) which also finished on 31 points but again lost out on countback.
Sixth place overall went to appliancesonline.com.au (Micah Lane), which finished third today, 1m25s behind Yandoo.
The Beko 3-Buoys Challenge proved a great success as Thurlow Fisher Lawyers’ victory today produced the fifth winner from the five races sailed for the series.
Today’s race was sailed in a 10-12 knot North East breeze with all teams carrying their bigger #1 rigs.
There was a good race for the lead on the first windward beat with Gotta Love It 7 and appliancesonline.com.au exchanging the number one position ahead of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, De’Longhi-Rabbitohs (Simon Nearn), Rag & Famish Hotel and Yandoo.
With the advantage of the nearest (red) rounding marker, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers was first to set her extra, while applinacesonline.com.au (blue marker) was second, De’Longhi-Rabbitohs (red) third, Rag & Famish Hotel (red), Yandoo (blue) and Gotta Love It 7 which went to the furthest (white) marker.
Thurlow Fisher Lawyers retained her lead downwind and held an 18s advantage over appliancesonline.com.au at the bottom mark.
De’Longhi-Rabbitohs was a further 22s back in third place, then there was a gap back to Yandoo, Mojo Wine and Rag & Famish.
Thurlow Fisher Lawyers opened up increased the lead to 45s at the next windward mark then to one minute at the end of the second lap.
The first four placings remained unchanged over this lap of the course and most interest was centering on the likely outcome of the overall placegetters.
Seven images from today’s race are attached, along with the official Result Sheet.
More images will appear on www.18footers.com.au and www.flying18s.com.
Full video coverage of the race can also be seen on http://www.18footerstv.com.
Race 1 of the N.S.W. Championship will be sailed next Sunday.
The championship will continue each Sunday until 18 December.
The best four performances of each team will be counted to determine overall placings.
The usual spectator ferry will follow every race, leaving Double Bay Wharf alongside the club and rigging area, at 2.15pm.