Smeg is 2021 18ft Skiff champion

In the absence of an official world championship, the JJ Giltinan Championship is the highest honor for the 18-foot skiff class. The 2021 edition on March 6-14 brings together 20 teams on Sydney Harbor to make their mark in the 83-year history of the world’s premier 18-Footer championship.

Sydney, Australia (March 14, 2021) – The Smeg team of Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge, and Trent Barnabas was unbeatable for the title of 2021 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff champion after yesterday’s Race 8 of the championship, but today’s final race on Sydney Harbour held more than enough interest to entertain patrons on the two club spectator ferries following the event.

Several teams were in contention for placings behind the Smeg team and a strong Southerly wind sweeping across the harbour was adding even more pressure to the fleet.

Fifteen teams finally faced the starter for the three-lap course set between Nielsen Park and the southern end of Rose Bay.

Yandoo Winning Group (John Winning Jr., Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton) trailed tech2 at the final windward mark in Rose Bay but produced an outstanding spinnaker run to score a 3s victory over the tech2 team of Jack Macartney, Charlie Wyatt, Lewis Brake.

Finport Finance (Keagan York, Matt Stenta, Phil Marshall) sailed consistently well throughout the entire course to finish a further 1m26s back in third place, ahead of Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Jim Colley), Andoo (Marcus Ashley-Jones), and Noakesailing (Sean Langman).

Smeg finished the championship on 19 points, followed by Yandoo Winning Group on 28, Noakesailing 36, Shaw and Partners Financial Services on 38, tech2 39, and Andoo on 43.

The race to the first mark today was tight with Smeg and Yandoo Winning Group electing to sail on the LHS of the course in Rose Bay while tech2 went to the RHS near Shark Island.

tech2 led Yandoo Winning Group, Yandoo and Finport Finance when the fleet finally reached the mark.

The tech2 team continued to lead downwind but a ‘drifting’ mark proved costly to the leader and Yandoo came through to become the new race leader.

When Yandoo capsized off the southern end of Shark Island, tech2 regained the lead and continued to hold the lead over the next lap of the course, just ahead of Yandoo Winning Group.

Finport Finance and Smeg were engaged in a battle for third place before a capsize put the new champion Smeg team out of contention on the second spinnaker run.

Event details – Race 8 results – Overall results – Facebook

Background: Defending champions are Honda Marine team of David McDiarmid, Matt Steven, and Brad Collins who won their the third consecutive title in 2020.

JJ Giltinan Championship, Race Dates:
March 6, Race 1
March 7, Race 2
March 9, Races 3 and 4
March 10, Races 5 and 6
March 11, Race 7
March 13, Race 8
March 14, Race 9

JJ Giltinan Championship, List of Entries:
• tech2 – Jack Macartney, Charlie Wyatt, Lewis Brake
• Yandoo Winning Group – John Winning Jr., Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton
• Smeg – Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge, Trent Barnabas
• Finport Finance – Keagan York, Matt Stenta, Phil Marshall
• The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines – Aron Everett, Courtney Mahar, Charlie Gundy
• Andoo Marcus – Ashley-Jones, Cam Gundy, Jeronimo Harrison
• Noakesailing – Sean Langman, Ed Powys, Josh Porebski
• Yandoo – John Winning, Fang Warren, Michael Kennedy
• Shaw and Partners Financial Services – Jim Colley, Shaun Connor, Harry Bethwaite
• The Kitchen Maker-Caesarstone – Jordan Girdis, Lachlan Doyle, Tom Quigley
• Bird and Bear – Nick Daly, John Walton, tba
• Appliancesonline.com.au – Simon Nearn, Brandon Buyink, Kurt Fatouros
• Vintec – Tom Cunich, Alex Marinelli, Zac Barnabas
• Queenslander – Dave Hayter, Ben Roxburgh, Elliott Mahar
• Rag & Famish Hotel – Anthony Young, Matt Pearce, Phil Harmer
• Birkenhead Point Marina – Tim Westwood, Alex Chittenden, Felix Daverio
• Noakes Blue Yvette Heritage – Rory Cox, Oliver Scott-Mackie
• Lazarus Capital Partners – Lachlan Steel, Jerome Watts, Matt Doyle
• Ilve Pedro Vozone – Cam Walker, Paddy Bannon
• Lumix – Alex Watson, Laughlin Prentice, Matt Rogers

Source: Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.