After last Sunday’s 18 footer double-header over two short course races, the Australian 18 Footers League returns to a full length championship for next Sunday’s Race 6 of the Club Championship on Sydney Harbour.
The same course will be used during the Giltinan World Championship later in the season. While the current Giltinan world champion skipper, Tom Needham will be missing from Yandoo on Sunday, the early prediction of a 15-knot ENE breeze at race time should provide insight into conditions for the big regattas in 2026.
Despite Needham’s absence, his replacement (yet to be named), regular sheet hand Fang Warren, and bowman Lewis Brake, will start Sunday’s race as narrow favourites against a group of strong challengers.
Leading the challenge is Balmain, skippered by Henry Larkings, with Tom Grimes on the sheet and Lachlan Pryor in the bow. Balmain won Races 3 and 4 of the club championship by margins of 58s and 37s, before finishing 3rd behind Club Marine (Emma Rankin) and Rag & Famish Hotel (Seve Jarvin, replacing Ben Crafoord) last Sunday. Both teams are strong contenders.
Other competitors in contention include the consistently performing Sixt (Jacob Marks), the new Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York), Smeg (Ash Rooklyn), and Lazarus Capital Services (Tom Cunich).
It’s particularly encouraging that several young male and female competitors, as well as rookie 18 footer teams, are represented in the top 10, highlighting the League’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent.
The championship is a key event in the annual 18 footer program, consisting of a total of 14 races throughout the season. Each boat carries the results of every race, with no discards, making it a true test of the season’s best.
Previous winners of the 90-year-old championship include legendary competitors such as ‘Billo’ Hayward in the late 1930s and John Winning in the 2023-24 season. The winner’s list boasts multiple champions like Don Barnett and Cliff Monkhouse in the 1950s, Bob Holmes in the 60s and 70s, and more recent winners like John Harris and Seve Jarvin.
None of the current skippers have won the title to date, which adds to the incentive for each to engrave their names on the trophy alongside previous champions.
Heading into Sunday’s race, Yandoo leads the series with a total of 20 points, followed by Balmain on 25, Rag & Famish Hotel on 26, and Sixt on 26, among others.
The Australian 18 Footers League’s usual Spectator Ferry will depart from Double Bay Wharf on Sunday at 2pm. SailMedia will provide live coverage of the racing action on youtube.com/video/ptJwVm1Cpq0/livestreaming.
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