The close racing of the first two weeks at the Australian 18 Footers League was missing in Race 3 of the SIXT Spring Championship when a strong North East wind on Sydney Harbour proved more than a handful for most of the new, young teams in the fleet today.
Despite the conditions and having two replacement crew members onboard, the Yandoo team of Steve Thomas, Max Paul and Lewis Brake were brilliant as they powered their skiff around the 3-buoys course to victory by 4m34s.
A race-long battle between the four challenging boats, Smeg (Ash Rooklyn, Ricky Bridge and Tom Quigley) took second place behind Yandoo. Third place and the series lead after three races went to The Kitchen Maker (Jordan Girdis, Josh Feldmann and Rory Cox), which finished a further 1m6s behind Smeg.
The only other skiffs to complete the course were Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell, Max Vos and Paddy Bannon) in fourth place and Killer Coffee Co (Ryan Ewings, Matt Stenta and Finn Rodowicz) in fifth.
After the three SIXT Spring Championship races sailed so far, The Kitchen Maker leads the championship with a score of 14 points, followed by Yandoo on 15 points, Killer Coffee Co and Smeg, both on 19, then Lazarus Capital Partners (Tom Cunich) and Vaikobi on 23 points.
Race 4 of the SIXT Spring series will be sailed next Sunday (1 November) in conjunction with Race 2 of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship.
Yandoo, along with Balamin (Henry Larkings) and Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York) battled for the lead out of the start, but Yandoo gradually eased away off Rose Bay on the way to the weather marks off the Beashel Buoy.
From her ‘scratch’ handicap, Yandoo had to go to the ‘Red’ mark (the furthest) but it didn’t make any difference to the incredible skiff, which seems able to win any type of race or series, with any crew, as it raced in the lead down the following spinnaker run to the wing mark off the southern end of Shark Island.
Emma Rankin’s Club Marine was in second place at the first set of weather marks, ahead of Shaw and Partners, Killer Coffee Co, Vaikobi and Smeg, but Club Marine capsized after a problem with the spinnaker set.
Yandoo was already more than 30s ahead of Shaw and Partners at the wing mark, followed by Killer Coffee Co, Vaikobi, Smeg, The Kitchen Maker and Lazarus Capital Partners.
When Shaw and Partners capsized approaching the bottom mark off Clark Island, Killer Coffee Co grabbed second place ahead of Vaikobi, Smeg, Lazarus and The Kitchen Maker, but shortly after she capsized as well.
With Yandoo already well over one minute ahead of the fleet, most interest centred on the battle between Vaikobi, Smeg and The Kitchen Maker.
When Vaikobi capsized late in the race it left Yandoo, Smeg and The Kitchen Maker, the only three teams not to capsize during the race, as the three placegetters.
Race 4 of the SIXT Spring Championship and the Mondiale VGL Season Point Score will be sailed next Sunday. As usual SailMedia will provide a livestream coverage of the racing with expert comments by the team broadcast direct from the race course.
Coverage of today’s race is available at 18FootersTV on the club’s website.
Source: Frank Quealey Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.
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