18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 5 & 6 Preview
by Frank Quealey 11 Dec 2024 18:04 NZDT
15 December 2024
Pre-series favourite Rag & Famish Hotel and the 2022-23 Australian champion Finport Finance share the lead going into next Sunday's Races 5 and 6 of the NSW 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour.
With the first day's racing being abandoned due to a severe storm, the two teams shared last Sunday's honours when each recorded a win and a second placing from the two races sailed in a 12-15knot SE breeze.
It was a unique situation as both teams were led by replacement skippers on the day.
The Rag had James Dorron, the 2018-19 Australian champion with a lot of skippering experience, however Finport Finance's replacement, Matt Stenta was having a rare turn as skipper on an 18, and Sunday was his first win.
Winning as a competitor in the 18s is not rare for Matt, who has won numerous races highlighted by a victory as sheet hand on Andoo in the 2022 Giltinan World Championship.
Both regular skippers, Harry Price and Keagan York hope to return to their respective skiffs on Sunday. Price missed the race due to an injury suffered the previous Sunday while York was competing on the yacht, Wild Thing.
Judging the merits of many teams in the championship is difficult after Sunday's racing but will become much clearer if conditions next Sunday allow for racing to be staged over one of the club's 'short' harbour courses.
The early forecast is for 12-13knots ESE conditions.
With four races remaining in the championship, and each team permitted to drop its worst performance, Rag & Famish Hotel and Finport Finance each have a total of 3 points, followed by Yandoo (John Winning) on 7, Smeg (Nathan McNamara) on 8, Balmain (Henry Larkings), Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell) 12, then Burrawang-Young Henrys (Simon Nearn) and Lazarus (Tom Cunich) both on 16 points.
The Season Point Score series, based on every race handicap result throughout the season, tightened up on the points table with Burrawang-Young Henrys finishing second on handicap in both races last Sunday.
Rag & Famish Hotel still retains the series lead with a total of 31 points, after an incredibly strong start to the season, but Burrawang-Young Henrys has moved into second place on 43 points, just ahead of Balmain on 44, Finport Finance on 47, Smeg 48, then Yandoo and Vaikobi each on 55 points. The next two races in that series will be sailed in conjunction with Races 5 and 6 of the NSW Championship
The Australian 18 Footers League spectator ferry will follow Sunday's racing, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf at 2pm, and SailMedia's livestream will also give viewers a close up action-packed view on YouTube.