Gotta Love It 7 maintains control at 18ft Skiff Championship

Sydney, Australia (March 3, 2014) – Defending champion Seve Jarvin and the Gotta Love It 7 team Sam Newton and Scott Babbage scored their second win of the 2014 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship when they took out the Re-sail of Race 1 on Sydney Harbour today.

The win gives the team a great start in defence of the title, but the win today was far from easy.

Grabbing the lead for the first time at the final windward mark, Gotta Love It 7 had to hold off strong challenges from Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon, Dave O’Connor, Trent Barnabas) and Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones, Jeronimo Harrison, James Dorron) before taking the honours by just 12s from Thurlow Fisher Lawyers.

Asko Appliances was a further 11s back in third place.

Appliancesonline.com.au (Euan McNicol, replacing Micah Lane) finished fourth, ahead of UK’s Rick Peacock on Haier Appliances, Mojo Wine (Chris Nicholson), Yamaha (David McDiarmid, NZ) and Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney).

With two races now completed, Gotta Love It 7 has a total of two points, followed by Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on five, Haier Appliances on 11, Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel 12, The Kitchen Maker (Will Phillips) 15 and C-Tech (Alex Vallings, NZ).

A light shifting NE breeze was an improvement on the earlier days racing and the four lap windward-return course provided some close racing for the spectator fleet.

Asko Appliances took an early lead and was 8s ahead of Sydney City Marine (David Witt) at the windward mark. Thurlow Fisher Lawyers was next, followed by Haier Appliances with Gotta Love It 7 trailing the leader by 35s.

Most of the fleet elected to sail the southern shore while Haier Appliances and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers went to the north. The move was a success as Haier momentarily led then trailed Asko Appliances by only 11s at the bottom mark, ahead of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers and Gotta Love It 7.

There was little change in the leading group over the next lap of the course and it wasn’t until Thurlow Fisher Lawyers went to the east on the third windward leg that the lead changed.

Thurlow Fisher led the fleet down the third run but this time it was former Giltinan champion Euan McNicol, standing in for regular skipper Micah Lane, who won the tactical battle to move into second place on appliancesonline.com.au.

With one lap to go, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers had extended her lead to 25s. Asko Appliances was third just ahead of Gotta Love it 7 and a big group of challengers.

Gotta Love It 7 was just 10s ahead of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers as they turned for home and things were uncertain as the two leaders decided to come down separate sides of the harbour.

When they cross near the finish little had changed as Gotta Love It 7 still held a narrow advantage which she maintained to the line.

Click here for results.

Source: Information provided by Frank Quealey

Background:
The 2014 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on March 1-9 is the 75th anniversary of the world’s greatest 18 Footer event which began on Sydney Harbour in 1938. Notable designers such as Ben Lexcen, Bruce Farr, Iain Murray and Julian Bethwaite have all been successful as winners, with Murray leading the charge claiming six consecutive wins from 1977-1982. In 2014, 5-time winning skipper Seve Jarvin will seek to match the master as Jarvin leads the Gotta Love It 7 team with Sam Newton and Scott Babbage. Murray is now the Gotta Love It 7 team manager.

2014 JJ GILTINAN 18ft SKIFF CHAMPIONSHIP – Race Schedule
March 1 – Race 1 (abandoned)
March 2 – Race 2
March 3 – Race 1 (re-sail)
March 4 – Race 3
March 5 – Race 4
March 6 – Race 5
March 8 – Race 6
March 9 – Race 7

List of Entries: 2014 JJ GILTINAN 18ft SKIFF CHAMPIONSHIP
1. Gotta Love It 7 – Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Scott Babbage – Australia
2. Thurlow Fisher Lawyers – Michael Coxon, Dave O’Connor, Trent Barnabas – Australia
3. Mojo Wine – Chris Nicholson, Mike McKensey, Ricky Bridge – Australia
4. C-Tech – Alex Vallings, Chris Kitchen, Joshua McCormack – New Zealand
5. Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel – Jack Macartney, Mark Kennedy, Peter Harris – Australia
6. Sydney City Marine – David Witt, Tom Clout, Matt Wark – Australia
7. Smeg – Nick Press, Dan Phillips, Dave Ewings – Australia
8. Yamaha – David McDiarmid, Andrew Archibald, Mark Overington – New Zealand
9. Fisher & Paykel – Grant Rollerson, Peter Nicholson, Geoff Bauchop – Australia
10. Asko Appliances – Marcus Ashley-Jones, James Dorron, Jeronimo Harrison – Australia
11. Lumix – Jonathan Whitty, James Hozack, Aron Everett – Australia
12. Pica – Jamie Mears, Stewart Mears,Matt Searle – UK
13. CST Composites – Howie Hamlin, Mike Martin, Nick Catley – USA
14. Winning Appliances – Shane Smith, Shane Dickson, Jake Restall – Australia
15. Yandoo – John Winning, Andrew Hay, Jim Beck – Australia
16. Appliancesonline.com.au – Micah Lane, Paul Montague, Tom Anderson – Australia
17. Haier Appliances – Rick Peacock, Tristan Hutt, Nick Murray – UK
18. Rabbitohs-Kenwood – Brett Van Munster, Joel Castle, Kurt Fatouris – Australia
19. The Kitchen Maker – Will Phillips, Malcolm Page, Cameron McDonald – Australia
20. Knight Frank – Riley Dean, Matt Coutts, John Little – New Zealand
21. Original Chia – Flemming Clausen, Soren Clausen, tba – Denmark
22. De’Longhi-Rabbitohs – Simon Nearn, Kieryn Cowan, Keagan York – Australia
23. Pure Blonde – Nick Daly, John Walton, James Smithers – Australia
24. Black Dog – Jarrod Simpson, tba, tba – UK
25. Maersk Line – Graham Catley, Matt Randell, Brad Collins – New Zealand
26. Hyde Sails – Jack Grogan, Sam Caslin, Michael Banks – UK
27. Magic Marine – Norbetr Peter, Finn Mrugalla, Eike Dietrich – Germany
28. Compassforex.com.au – Pedro Vozone, Jakub Jankowski, Daniel Watson – Australia
29. EuroLink – Friedrich Renner, Christian Meissner, Thomas Eggersdorfer – Germany
30. PB Towage – Josh Franklin, Tristan Hamilton, Barry Flanagan – Australia
31. Viagogo – Alexandra South, Locky Pryer, James Slee – Australia
32. Ilve – Oliver Hartas, Josh Marks, Tim Lake – Australia
33. Brisbane 18 Footers – Laurie Williamson, Daniel Smith, Nathan Smittmann – Australia
34. CT Sailbattens – Skip McCormack, Jody McCormack, Joe Penrod – USA