Yandoo Triumphs at 18ft Skiffs Championship Race

FOCUS KEYPHRASE: 18ft skiffs Club Championship
KEYPHRASE SYNONYMS: Australian 18 Footers League, Yandoo team, SIXT Spring Championship, Sydney Harbour sailing, Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy
SEO TITLE: Yandoo Triumphs at 18ft Skiffs Championship Race
META DESCRIPTION: Yandoo secures victory in Race 1 of the Club Championship and Race 2 of the SIXT Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour.
HASHTAGS: #18ftSkiffs #Yandoo #SailingChampionship #SydneyHarbour #SIXTSpringChampionship

Race 1 of the eleven-race Australian 18 Footers League’s Club Championship was held today on Sydney Harbour in light Easterly breezes, featuring a three-lap windward-leeward course. The race saw a dominant performance by the team of John Winning Jr, Fang Warren, and Lewis Brake aboard Yandoo, who finished 1 minute and 42 seconds ahead of their closest competitor, Smeg (Ash Rooklyn, Ricky Bridge, Tom Quigley). Australian champion Balmain (Henry Larkings, Tom Grimes, Locky Pryor) followed closely behind in third place, finishing just 11 seconds after Smeg.

Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Adam Beashel) secured fourth place, with Killer Coffee Co (Ryan Ewings) and Rag & Famish Hotel (Ben Crafoord) rounding out the top six.

In addition, Race 2 of the SIXT Spring Championship coincided with the club championship race, resulting in a win for the Club Marine team (Emma Rankin, Cameron Walker, Daniel Watson), followed by Smeg and Killer Coffee Co.

After two races, the leading points in both the Sixt Spring and Mondiale VGL series are led by Lazarus Capital Partners on 9 points. They are closely followed by Club Marine, Rag & Famish Hotel, and The Kitchen Maker (Jordan Girdis) all tied at 11 points, and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on 12 points. Balmain, Killer Coffee Co, and Yandoo are equal on 14 points, while Smeg sits at 17, and Sothebys-Ballard Property (Lachlan Steel) at 18 points, completing the top 10.

Despite the light winds, the race proved exciting for spectators, with competitive positioning throughout the first two laps. The start witnessed Rag & Famish Hotel, Lazarus Capital Partners, Smeg, and Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York) vying for position, while Yandoo began at the starter’s boat end.

Rag & Famish quickly established a lead, but Yandoo made significant progress to secure second place, just 30 seconds behind. The spinnaker run back to the bottom mark displayed Yandoo’s prowess, ultimately allowing them to take the lead shortly after both teams gybed.

At the bottom mark, Yandoo held a narrow 4-second lead over Killer Coffee Co, who had made an impressive climb from sixth place. As the second beat commenced, Yandoo’s strategic sailing extended their lead to 46 seconds before the next spinnaker run.

The battle for other placings remained intense, with Smeg, Thurlow Fisher, Killer Coffee, Rag & Famish, Balmain, and Lazarus all fighting for position. Yandoo’s lead grew to 1 minute and 8 seconds at the second lap’s bottom mark, with the team determined to maintain their advantage for the final lap.

Currently, Yandoo appears to be in a league of their own, though emerging teams are poised to challenge them as the season progresses towards the Giltinan World Championship in March.

Race 3 of the SIXT Spring Championship and the Mondiale VGL Season Point Score is scheduled for next Sunday, with SailMedia providing a livestream of the racing, complete with expert commentary directly from the race course. Coverage of today’s race is available at 18FootersTV on the club’s website.

Frank Quealey – Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.