Start of the Club Trophy on Sydney Harbour. Image copyright Christophe Favreau.
by Frank Quealey
The Active Air-2UE team of Matthew Searle, Dan Wilsden and Archie Massey had to come from behind on the final spinnaker run to take the Australian 18 Footer League’s Club Trophy race on Sydney Harbour on Sunday.
They defeated the Yandoo team of John Winning, Andrew Hay and David Gibson by 30s with the earlier race leaders Peter Morrison, Peter Mc Kewen and Andrew Coxall (Keith Piggin Estate Agents) a further 25s back in third place.
Today’s race was sailed over a 3-buoys course is an unpredictable 10-12 knot ENE breeze which faded even lighter over the final stages.
De Longhi (Simon Nearn) and Yandoo won the start at the windward end of the line while Southern Cross Constructions (Euan Mc Nicol) led from Keith Piggin Estate Agents at the pin end.
Southern Cross led when the two groups met but Keith Piggin Estate Agents fought back to grab a narrow lead off Neilsen Park.
With the advantage of going to the nearest of the three windward marks, Keith Piggin led the fleet as spinnakers were set for the run back to Clarke Island.
Fisher & Paykel (Andrew Cuddihy) was in close pursuit, ahead of Southern Cross which was relegated back into third place after going to the second of the windward marks.
Little separated the trio downwind even though conditions were extremely difficult in Rose Bay as the fleet approached the wing mark.
Skiffs had to battle as there were numerous wind directional changes which saw skiffs gibing continuously.
At the end of the first lap, the leading three positions continued unchanged.
Smeg (Nick Press) was fourth, followed by Active Air-2UE, Yandoo, Kinder Caring Home Nursing (Brett Van Munster), Macquarie Real Estate (Micah Lane), De Longhi, Project Racing (Andy Budgen) and Gotta Love It 7 (Tom Clout).
Keith Piggin’s crew was superb on the next windward leg as they held out the more fancied crew of Southern Cross.
Once again, the 3-buoys windward marks played their part.
Keith Piggin still led but now Smeg was in second place ahead of Active Air-2UE, Fisher & Paykel and Yandoo.
Southern Cross had to go to the furthest mark and her race winning chance was basically gone.
At the end of lap two, Keith Piggin led Active Air-2UE by just 12s but again showed great windward speed to hold off the challengers at the final windward buoys.
Unfortunately, a fouled spinnaker on Keith Piggin allowed Active Air-2UE and Yandoo through in Rose Bay.
Although the race remained close, there was never any chance of a change of placings on the run between the islands to the finish.
Australian 18 Foot Skiffs
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