Finport Finance Draws 1st Blood Ate 2023 JJ's

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18ft Skiffs
Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinans 18ft Skiff Championship, Race 1
Race Sponsor: Birkenhead Point Marina
Saturday, 4 March, 2023
Sydney Harbour



The recently crowned Australian champion Finport Finance team of Keagan York, Angus Williams and Phil Marshall totally dominated Race 1 of the Winning Group JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship with an outstanding display of light weather sailing on Sydney Harbour today.

Finport Finance grabbed a 20s at the first weather mark in Rose Bay, after a frustrating leg from the start off Clark Island, and quickly raced away from the rest of the fleet to lead by several minutes throughout the entire race.









At the finish, Finport Finance crossed the line a 2m15s winner from Smeg (Michael Coxon, James Dorron and Tom Anderson), with Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Dave O'Connor, Trent Barnabas and Tom Quigley) a further 4m31s back in third place.

Lazarus (Marcus Ashley-Jones) finished strongly over the latter half of the course to finish in fourth place, ahead of Yandoo (John Winning), Andoo (John Winning Jr), Big Pete (Sean Langman), Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price), Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis) and Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings).








The race was sailed in a variable 8-10 knot Easterly breeze which tested the fleet on the first windwards beat to Rose Bay.

Burrawang-Young Henrys (Simon Nearn), Balmain Slake, Andoo and Yandoo were amongst the leaders early, along with Noakes Youth (Tom Cunich), Finport Finance, Smeg and Lazarus as the fleet made its slow journey near Shark Island.

With the usual variable breeze in Rose Bay, Finport Finance grabbed a 20s lead from Shaw and Partners as spinnakers were set for the run to the wing mark off Clark Island, followed by Yandoo, Balmain Slake, Smeg, Burrawang-Young Henrys and Noakes Youth.

As Finport Finance raced away from the rest of the fleet on the leg to the wing mark, the Smeg team outsailed their rivals to move into a clear second place ahead of Shaw and Partners.



images and story by Frank Quealy


The three teams easily held those placings for the remainder of the race, several minutes ahead of the pack.

Conditions changed as most of the fleet reached the wing mark and racing became a little chaotic as positions changed rapidly and many positions were turned upside-down as the fleet headed for the bottom mark off Kurraba Point.

Over the final two laps of the course, the leading three positions remained unchanged and most interest centred on the tight battle for the next five placings.

Lazarus was back in sixth place at the second weather mark in Rose Bay but a strong spinnaker run back to the bottom mark off Kurraba Point put the team into fourth place, ahead of Yandoo, Andoo and Rag & Famish Hotel.

Conditions are expected to be entirely different for tomorrow's Race 2, which should provide supporters with a great spectacle and a wonderful platform to launch a hard-fought regatta.

NOTE: Race dates for the Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan World 18 footer Championship are:
Sunday March 5 Race 2
Tuesday March 7 Races 3 & 4
Wednesday March 8 Races 5 & 6
Thursday March 9 Race 7
Saturday March 11 Race 8
Sunday March 12 Race 9

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18ft Skiffs
Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship, Race 2
Race Sponsor: Andoo
Sunday, 5 March, 2023
Sydney Harbour



In complete contrast to yesterday's light, variable wind conditions, Race 2 of the Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship was sailed in an 18-20-knot North East wind on Sydney Harbour today and produced some of the best and most spectacular racing action for the spectator fleet following the championship.

After being locked in a two-boat battle for the entire first lap of the course, reigning champion Andoo (John Winning Jr, Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton) got the upper hand over yesterday's Race 1 winner, and Australian champion, Finport Finance (Keagan York, Angus Williams and Phil Marshall) to score a brilliant victory.










Andoo's winning margin was 57s over Finport Finance with third placed Lazarus (Marcus Ashley-Jones), Rob Bell and Jeronimo Harrison) a further 1m21s further back in third place.

Sean Langman's Big Pete finished in fourth place ahead of Smeg (Michael Coxon), Germany's Black Knight (Heinrich Bayern), Yandoo (John Winning), Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price), Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings) and Shaw & Partners Financial Services (Dave O'Connor).






Despite today's defeat, Finport Finance leads the points table after two races with a total of 3 points, followed by Andoo, Smeg and Lazarus all on 7, Big Pete 11, Yandoo 12, Shaw & Partners Financial Services 13, Rag & Famish Hotel 16, Balmain Slake 19 and Black Knight 22.

Racing resumes on Tuesday (March 7) when Races 3 and 4 will be sailed over two short courses.

In today's race, Finport Finance established a lead shortly after the start with Andoo, Rag & Famish Hotel and Lazarus close behind as the fleet worked its way from the start off Clark Island to the Beashel Buoy weather mark.

As spinnakers were set for the run to the wing mark off the southern end of Shark Island, Finport's lead over Andoo was 10s. Rag & Famish Hotel was in third place and Big Pete was now fourth.





The run to the wing mark produced spectacular action for the spectator fleet as the skiffs raced past at high speed.

There was no change in placings at the bottom mark for the first four teams while Smeg, Lazarus and Balmain Slake were leading the following group.

Andoo was outstanding on the second beat to Beashel Buoy and the Finport Finance team could do nothing to stop the defending champion from opening up a lead of 35s.

Rag & Famish Hotel was still in third place but was starting to come under pressure from Lazarus and Smeg. The Rag eventually capsized on the run and dropped out of the five-boat group chasing the two leaders.

Over the final lap of the course, Andoo maintained her big lead and gradually edged away to the final margin of 57s and has now set up an intriguing contest as the fleet prepares for Tuesday's 'big double header'.

Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings, Miles Davey and Flynn Twomey) won the handicap section of today's race from 18 Footers Bay & Restaurant (Pedro Vozone) and Birkenhead Point Marina (Kirk Mitchell).



NOTE: Race dates for the Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan World 18 footer Championship are:
Tuesday March 7 Races 3 & 4
Wednesday March 8 Races 5 & 6
Thursday March 9 Race 7
Saturday March 11 Race 8
Sunday March 12 Race 9