18ft Skiffs - Supercup tests some of Australia's superstars
by Frank Quealey 11 Dec 2021 08:51 GMT
11 December 2021
Three generations together on Smeg, Trevor, Trent and Zac Barnabas - 18ft Skiffs Supercup - December 2021 © Frank Quealey
Talented 'guest' skippers joined some of the regular Australian 18 Footer League skippers when ten of the League's 18ft Skiffs took to a stormy Sydney Harbour late yesterday afternoon to contest the annual 3-race Supercup series.
Several of the sailors were in Sydney for next weekend's SailGP event.
In the 16-27 knot WSW conditions, 2000 JJ Giltinan winner John Winning (Yandoo), who is also presently also leading the 2021-22 NSW Championship, took out Race 1,12s ahead of a thrilling battle between former 18 footer greats Trevor Barnabas (Smeg) and supermaxi/VOR65 skipper David Witt in Noakes Blue. Barnabas grabbed second place just 1s ahead of Witt.
In two later races, Winning was forced out with gear problems and Barnabas' three-generation team failed to re-produce the form and finished further back in the field.
Victory to 2018-19 Australian champion James Dorron (Lazarus Capital Partners) in Race 2 and Round the World winner Luke Parkinson (Tech2) in Race 3 weren't good enough to take the overall series which went to the Noakes Blue team of David Witt, Tom Clout and Tom Anderson.
For the trio - Witty and the Tom Toms - it was a return to the past as the team competed successfully together in the Appliancesonline skiff five years ago.
The series was notable, if not unique, in featuring three generations of the Barnabas family - with grandfather Trevor driving, son Trent on the mainsheet and grandson Zac on the bow.
Other 'guest' skippers on the day were Nathan Outteridge, Olympic Gold medalist in 2012, world champion in 29er, 420, 49er and Moth classes and SailGP star performer, Hugh Stodart who won the 2005-06 Australian 18ft Skiff Championship and Nathan Wilmot, who won the 470 Olympic Gold medal in the 470 class.
The heavy rain couldn't dampen the day or the enthusiasm shown by all teams as they took on the racing to give the following supporters their fix of thrills and spills.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | Noakes Blue (David Witt, Tom Clout, Tom Andersonr)
| 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | Tech2 (Luke Parkinson, Charlie Wyatt, Lewis Brake)
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | Lazarus Capital Partners (James Dorren, Jeronimo Harrison, Cam Gundy)
| 6 | 1 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 | Shaw & Partners Financial Services (Nathan Wilmot, Steve Thomas, Locky Pryor)
| 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
| 5 | Smeg (Trevor Barnabus, Trent Barnabus, Zac Barnabus)
| 2 | 6 | 7 | 15 |
| 6 | Finport Finance (Nathan Outteridge, Ian Jensen, Jamie Woods)
| 7 | 5 | 4 | 16 |
| 7 | Birkenhead Point Marina (Hugh Stoddart, Tim Westwood, Alex Chittenden)
| 8 | 11 | 3 | 22 |
| 8 | Yandoo (John Winning Snr, Fang Warren, Mike Kennedy)
| 1 | 11 | 11 | 23 |
| 9 | Andoo (Seve Jarvin, Matt Stenta, Sam Newton)
| 11 | 11 | 11 | 33 |
| 10 | Burrawang-Young Henrys (Simon Nearn, Rory Cox, Brandon Buyink)
| 11 | 11 | 11 | 33 |