October 27, 2019

Race 3 – Spring Championships 2019 – Club Championship Race 1

Race 1 of the Australian 18 Footers Club Championship, sailed in a 12-14-knot ENE wind on Sydney Harbour today, produced one of the closest and best 18ft Skiff races seen for a few years, and gave the Finport Finance team victory over arch-rival Winning Group.

The Finport Finance crew of Keagan York, Matt Stenta and Angus Williams took the lead at the end of the first lap of the course, and despite losing it to Winning Group at the following windward mark, came back strongly over the final lap of the course to grab a 11s victory.

Winning Group (John Winning Jr., Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton) shared the lead with Finport Finance for two laps of the Easterly course before going down by the narrow margin.

The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Aron Everett, Courtney Maher, Charlie Gundy) came back strongly over the second half of the course to finish a further 55s back in third place.

Appliancesonline.com.au (Brett Van Munster) was another team to finish strongly after being placed ninth in the fleet after the first lap of the course.

Last week’s race winner Noakesailing (Sean Langman) finished in fifth place with Dal Zotto (Jack Sprague) rounding out the top six.

The Dal Zotto team sailed a brilliant course to take advantage of the breeze up the first windward leg into the Rose Bay windward mark and led the fleet by 25s as spinnakers were set for the run to the wing mark off Clark Island.

Winning Group was in second place, ahead of Finport Finance and RMarine (Marcus Ashley-Jones), Smeg (Micah Lane), The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines and The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone (Jordan Girdis).

Dal Zotto retained the lead at the wing mark, however Finport Finance was showing great downwind speed to pass Winning Group and moved up to with just 5s of the leader.

The direction of the breeze on the spinnaker run to the bottom mark off Kurraba Point made the crews work hard but produced some spectacular rides before Finport Finance grabbed a 8s. lead from Dal Zotto, with Winning Group only 2s. further back.

Winning Group was sailing fast on the windward legs of the course and reversed the placings at the head of the fleet when she was 18s. ahead of Finport Finance at Rose Bay on the second lap of the course.

After the long spinnaker run from Rose Bay, on the south side of the harbour, to the bottom mark off Kurraba Point on the north, Finport Finance again showed her downwind speed to reduce Winning Group’s lead to just one boat length as the two champion teams prepared for a match-race over the concluding lap of the course.

The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines had also shown great downwind speed and grabbed third place ahead of Noakesailing and Dal Zotto.

Spectators on the club’s ferry weren’t disappointed as Finport Finance and Winning Group exchanged the lead on at least three occasions before Finport Finance finally reached the windward mark in Rose Bay with a 3s. advantage as the pair headed for the finish line off Clark Island.

Finport Finance’s downwind speed was again clear as the team edged away to cross the line with 11s. to spare.

Spectators all left the water convinced they had seen one of the best races for a few seasons and are looking forward to the next time the fleet contests a round of the Club Championship.

Today’s result sheet and images from the race are attached.

The Australian 18 Footers League’s 2019-2020 Season continues next Sunday when the club will stage Race 4 of the Spring Championship.

Spectators can see all the teams in the rigging, then follow the racing on board the spectator ferry, which leaves Double Bay Wharf, alongside the rigging area, each race day at 2pm.

Book online through the club’s website www.18footers.com

The livestream video team is also out on Sydney Harbour to capture all the action for those who can’t make it onto the water. Livestreaming is available by going to www.18footers.com and clicking on the ’18 Footers TV’ link.

As well as watching the livestreaming coverage, you can also follow all the club;s racing throughout the entire 2019-2020 Racing Season:

Club Website www.18footers.com
Twitter @18skiff
Instagram @18skiff
Facebook International 18Ft Skiff

October 20, 2019

Race 2 – Spring Championship 2019

The Noakesailing 18ft Skiff team of Sean Langman, Ed Powys and Nathan Edwards produced another brilliant exhibition to score their second consecutive win in Race 2 of the Australian 18 Footers League’s Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

In similar conditions to last Sunday’s opening race of the season, Langman and his team were never far from the lead over the entire course and proved too good for the challengers over the final lap of the course, despite having to give away a handicap advantage at the final windward marks.

Noakesailing crossed the finish line 42s ahead of Appliancesonline.com.au (Brett Van Muster, Phil Marshall, Kurt Fatouris).

Finport Finance (Harry Price, Matt Stenta, Angus Williams) was a further 27s back in third place, ahead of Dal Zotto (Jack Sprague), Yandoo (JohnWinning) and Birkenhead Point Marina (Tom Anderson).

After two races of the Spring Championship, Noakesailing leads the pointscore on 2, followed by Appliancesonline and Yandoo on 9, with Finport Finance, Birkenhead Point Marina and Winning Group (John Winning Jr.) on 15 points.

While the breeze was only around 8-10 knots, the race was a great battle to watch as the positions throughout the entire fleet constantly changed as the wind direction changed.

From the start, Noakesailing, Winning Group and Finport Finance were in a battle for the lead but Smeg (Micah Lane) quickly challenged the trio and actually grabbed the lead as the fleet headed towards Shark Island and the first set of 3-buoys windward marks.

With the advantage of going to the red buoy, Appliancesonline.com.au was first team to set a spinnaker for the run to the wing mark off Clark Island. Noakesailing, Smeg and Yandoo were next and Dal Zotto was in fifth place.

This group had edged away from the rest of the fleet and maintained their advantage to the bottom mark at Kurraba Point.

While the left hand side of the course was favoured on the first windward leg, the second work saw the leaders sail further to the south as the wind varied a little in direction.

Despite having to travel to the furthest windward mark, Noakesailing’s team were superb as the skiff took the lead from Appliancesonline.com.au, Yandoo and dal Zotto.

Starting the final lap of the course, Noakesailing held a narrow lead over Appliancesonline, but there was little between the pair coming out of the bay into the middle of the harbour.

Appliancesonline appeared to be getting the better of Noakesailing which forced the Noakes team to tack away towards the Bradleys Head side of the course.

The appliancesonline team were looking strong at the time and elected to stay on their same course to the middle of the harbour. This move looked to be a winner but later when the two leaders met, Noakesailing had built up a seemingly unbeatable lead over Appliancesonline.

Finport Finance had also sailed well on the long windward leg and actually crossed AOL to grab second place as the three teams headed for the final set of markers.

Appliancesonline’s crew threw everything at the leader down the final spinnaker run between Shark Island and Clark Island but were unable to challenge the winner.

The Australian 18 Footers League’s 2019-2020 Season continues next Sunday when the club will stage Race 1 of the Club Championship.

Spectators can see all the teams in the rigging, then follow the racing on board the spectator ferry, which leaves Double Bay Wharf, alongside the rigging area, each race day at 2pm.

Book online through the club’s website www.18footers.com

The livestream video team is also out on Sydney Harbour to capture all the action for those who can’t make it onto the water. Livestreaming is available by going to www.18footers.com and clicking on the ’18 Footers TV’ link.

As well as watching the livestreaming coverage, you can also follow all the club;s racing throughout the entire 2019-2020 Racing Season:

Club Website www.18footers.com
Twitter @18skiff
Instagram @18skiff
Facebook International 18Ft Skiff

15 Attachments

October 13, 2019

Race 1 – Spring Championship 2019

The Noakesailing team of Sean Langman, Ed Powys and Nathan Edwards had to come from behind over the final lap of the course to grab a narrow victory in Race 1 of the Australian 18 Footers League’s Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

After trailing the race leader The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone for most of the day, Noakesailing grabbed the lead at the final windward set of marks to score a 32s. victory.

The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone (Jordan Girdis, Lachlan Doyle and Tom Quigley) took a 25s lead at the first windward mark and led at every rounding mark over the Easterly course, but couldn’t hold onto the lead at the final mark when the Noakesailing team were favoured by going to the middle buoy while The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone had to go to the furthest buoy.

With John Winning Jr. unable to skipper Winning Group today, former Giltinan champion Seve Jarvin took the tiller, and along with Sam Newton and Joel Turner, came home strongly to finish third, 2m33s. behind The Kitchen Maker, after having to go to the furthest mark on every lap of the course.

Yandoo (John Winning) also finished strongly to grab fourth place, ahead of Vintec (Kirk Mitchell), RMarine (Marcus Ashley-Jones), Appliancesonline.com.au (Brett Van Munster), and defending champion Rag & Famish Hotel (Bryce Edwards).

The Easterly breeze fluctuated throughout the latter part of the race which produced a big change to many of the overall placings.

The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone took the early lead at the first set of windward marks, with Vintec in second place, followed by Noakesailing, Apppliancesonline and Birkenhead Point Marina (Tom Anderson).

The TKM-Caesarstone lead was 25s at the bottom mark, but over the next lap of the course the margin had increased to 1m15s as the fleet set off on the final lap of the course.

Despite their attempts to cover their challenger, The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone team couldn’t shake off the hard-charging Noakesailing team and were 20s plus the distance between the middle and back marker buoys as the pair headed for home on the run between Shark and Clark Islands.

Only one boat-length separated the pair off Double Bay before the Noakesailing team finally took the honours.

With a number of new teams in the fleet and two more teams to join the competition in the coming weeks, the season the racing looks promising as the Australians prepare to mount a challenge to win back the Giltinan Championship Trophy

The Australian 18 Footers League’s 2019-2020 Season continues next Sunday with Race 2 of the Spring Championship.

Spectators can get up close and personal with the teams in the rigging area, then follow the racing on board the spectator ferry, which leaves Double Bay Wharf, alongside the rigging area, each race day at 2pm. Purchase tickets online at:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/spring-championship-race-1-tickets-69976974013?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

The club’s video team will also be out on Sydney Harbour to capture all the action.

Everyone in the world can experience the live stream experience by going to 18FootersTV

18 Footers TV

As well as watching the livestreaming coverage, you can also follow all the club’s racing throughout the entire 2019-2020 Racing Season:

Club Website www.18footers.com

Twitter @18skiff

Instagram @18skiff

Facebook International 18Ft Skiff

October 11, 2019

LIVESTREAMING 18ft SKIFF RACING ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

LIVESTREAMING 18ft SKIFF RACING ON SYDNEY HARBOUR

Livestreaming of 18ft Skiff Racing on Sydney Harbour reached a new high during the 2018-2019 Australian Season when the talented video team produced sensational coverage of all local club events and every race of the JJ Giltinan (world) Championship.

Viewers around the world were taken up close to the racing skiffs as they sped across the harbour while managing to avoid the heavy commercial and private traffic.

As two-times JJ Giltinan (world) champion, America’s Howie Hamlin, says about the coverage: “I love watching the live skiff racing. It is almost as good as being there.” to avoid the traffic hazards.

The video team had previously captured all the action from water level and from on-board racing skiffs, then last season introduced a new perspective with drone coverage from above the fleet.

The 2018-2019 Season coverage is expected to be even better in the 2019-2020 Season and is a great leap forward from the beginning, back in the early 2000s, when Kerrie and John Winning, together with the late Bob (Killo) Killick, had the vision of presenting 18ft Skiff Racing on Sydney Harbour to the world.

This visionary trio couldn’t have imagined how far, and how quickly, their idea would have developed to where it is today.

From the ‘humble’ beginning when Bob Killick became the sole hands-on member of the original team, the concept has grown steadily to the point where the present team controls the livestreaming of 18ft Skiff Racing on Sydney Harbour each week to a worldwide audience.

The Australian 18 Footers League’s 2019-2020 Season commences on Sunday when 18 skiffs line up for Race 1 of the Spring Championship, and the video team will be out on Sydney Harbour again to capture all the action.

Everyone in the world can share the live stream experience by going to 18FootersTV

18 Footers TV

Spectators can get up close and personal with the teams in the rigging area, then follow the racing on board the spectator ferry, which leaves Double Bay Wharf, alongside the rigging area, each race day at 2pm. Purchase tickets online at:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/spring-championship-race-1-tickets-69976974013?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

As well as watching the livestreaming coverage, you can also follow all the club’s racing throughout the entire 2019-2020 Racing Season:

Club Website www.18footers.com

Twitter @18skiff

Instagram @18skiff

Facebook International 18Ft Skiff

October 9, 2019

NOAKES BLUE BECOMES SEAN LANGMAN’S LATEST TEAM IN THE 18s

NOAKES BLUE BECOMES SEAN LANGMAN’S LATEST TEAM IN THE 18s

When Yvette Heritage and her Noakes Blue 18ft Skiff team line up next Sunday (October 13) for the opening race of the Australian 18 Footers League’s 2019-2020 Season, she will be leading the third team sponsored by Sean Langman’s Noakes Group company to support new, talented sailors in the Sydney 18 Footer fleet.

Aside from his wonderful record of achievement on the water, Sean has always been a person with a positive outlook and an ever-ready willingness to assist talented sailors in their quest to achieve results in keeping with those talents.

Sean is a person prepared to ‘put his money where his mouth is’ and has previously supported two other campaign for newcomers to the 18s, as well as sponsoring his own campaigns.

Jacqui Bonnitcha was the original sailor to receive Sean’s support and sailed Noakes Youth in the 2007 JJs. Ash Rooklyn later received similar support, now Yvette Heritage is about to become Sean’s third beneficiary.

Yvette joined the 18s for her rookie season in 2018-2019, then recently skippered ILVE at Lake Garda in the European 18ft Skiff Championship as part of her preparation for Sydney Harbour 2019-2020.

She explained the reason for Noakes support of her team this season. “The Noakes Blue theme represents the Recreation business side of Noakes which has an approach of inclusiveness within their business and the community.”

”Noakes’ sponsorship has also allowed me to be sailing on a newer boat this season, with newer gear and sails, which will allow us to be competitive with the experienced 18s fleet.“

“We very much appreciate the support from Sean and the Noakes team throughout the past couple of months. it has been invaluable and has allowed us to practice with more experienced 18s sailors.”

“Yvette is yet to finalise her team but says that “Mustafa Ingham, a young, up-and-coming sailor with experience in high performance catamarans and offshore sailing, will be in the bow.”

“Mustafa filled in last season on the 18s and wanted to come back for more.”

“We are hoping to improve from last season’s introduction to 18s and match it with the already competitive 18s fleet.”

Australian 18 Footers League President said: “Our club fully appreciates Sean’s efforts to support talented sailors in the class as it fits perfectly with the Club’s policy of introducing new talent to the 18s to ensure the sport’s long-term future.”

Spectators can get up close and personal with the teams in the rigging area, then follow the racing on board the spectator ferry, which leaves Double Bay Wharf, alongside the rigging area, each race day at 2pm.

For those who can’t make it onto the water:

Live streaming is available on 18FootersTV

18 Footers TV