18ft Skiff Sixt Spring Championship Final Preview
by Frank Quealey 20 Nov 02:54 GMT
24 November 2024
Three of the best teams in the Australian 18 Footers League's 2024-25 season fleet put on a great exhibition of power, speed racing in a 25-30 knot nor'easter on Sydney Harbour last Sunday with only a few secs separating them for more than two-thirds of the long course, but it was the team which finished fourth behind the 'stars' that became the story of the day.
While the Rag & Famish Hotel team of Harry Price, Max Paul and Finn Rodowicz continued its domination of both the club championship and Sixt spring championship where it holds very large leads over the nearest challenger, it was the young Oak Double Bay-4 Pines team of Hugh Stoner, Hugo Leeming and Daniel Watson which won the hearts of supporters.
Hugo Stoner joined the 18 footer ranks in the 2021-22 season, along with a team including Hugo Leeming and Alex Watson, sailing Lazarus Development. Stoner and Leeming then backed up in 2022-23 sailing the same boat, renamed Lazarus Youth, and were joined by Hamish Vass who replaced Alex Watson.
According to Hugo, "I moved to the 29er skiffs and started match racing before our first season in the 18s. Hugo (Leeming) and I came out for a few races during the JJs to support Lachlan Steel, who sailed on the Lazarus skiff at the time. He eventually convinced us to throw our hat in the ring for the next season, and we haven't looked back since."
When the 18 Footers Bar & Restaurant skiff became available for the 2023-24 season, the efforts of Hugo and his team were rewarded and the crew graduated to the 18s skiff.
The team won the Sponsors Day race and placed well in another race during the 2023 Spring championship, and were rewarded once again with another upgrade this season when Hugo and the team took over the Oak Double Bay-4 Pines skiff.
It gave his new team, Daniel Watson replaced Hamish Vass, a good opportunity to show their talent as this skiff performed well in the 2023-24 season when Jacob Marks, Alex Marinelli and Matt Doyle won the 2023 Spring Championship.
It was incredible that the young team produced its best performance in the 18s on one of the hardest days, but their attitude, determination and a good tactical decision went a long way, as Hugo Stoner explained.
"We knew that if we could limit time spent capsized, we would be in with a shot at a good result, and by putting the big reef in and storm jib on, we definitely made our lives easier. A huge shout out to my crew, they sailed out of their minds."
"Special mention to Daniel, who joined us this year and has been an awesome addition and has provided some much-needed size to the boat. He has been a clear head on board, and I am keen to see how we can progress this year."
Hugo Leeming also "did a few years of 29er sailing from 2017-19 which is where I started to get into skiff sailing. Whilst doing that I also joined the CYCA's match racing program which is where I competed in last year's world championship, placing 4th. I will be heading over to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from the 25th November-3rd of December to compete in this year's world championships, but my favourite sailing has been in the 18."
"Our first season was a bit tough but slowly we started getting around the course. This year we got another upgrade onto the Royal Oak and a new bowman, Daniel Watson. The conditions have so far been mainly heavy winds which have been difficult, but fun. Last weekend we put in the storm reef which helped us get around the track with only one capsize, and had some awesome downwind rides."
Daniel Watson, the team's new bowman is a strong performer who also comes with some previous experience, "I've been sailing skiffs for 20+ years. I started sailing skiffs as a teenager and previously owned/raced B14s "
"I always loved the technical skill and the speed of a skiff, and as a kid I idolised the flying 18s. I've loved the thrill of a kite ride and always loved the thrill of sailing a boat with wings."
Coming back after a six year break for work commitments, "I'm excited to see what we can produce this year. The boat has great potential, and as a crew how we gradually get the teamwork and dynamics honed to see how much we can improve."
"After retiring in the first heavy wind race and kicking ourselves for missing out on a potential 5th place, I'm glad to see us stick it out in last week's 30kts to the finish and place 4th, especially with only a single capsize."
18 footer legend and Australian 18 Footer League President, John Winning was delighted with the young team's effort in completing the long north-east course in such testing wind conditions. "I always like to see reliable young teams develop at the League. They are our future."
"Without a continuation of young sailors prepared to put in the hard work, we don't have a fleet of 18s to race on the harbour. That's the way it's been for more than 100 years."
"Hugo and his team showed good maturity and good decision making on Sunday when they elected to go out with reefed sails, which enabled them to complete the race, when others were forced to retire."
The Rag & Famish Hotel's domination of the racing so far this season is reflected in this week's handicaps for the final race of the Sixt Spring Championship. Nine of the 16-boat fleet will be competing from the handicap limit of 10 minutes, while three more teams will have handicaps of more than seven minutes.
The outcome of the Sixt Spring Championship series is all-but assured as Rag & Famish Hotel has a lead of 14 points over her nearest challenger, Vaikobi, and there is only a maximum penalty of 17 points for the race.
Despite the likely outcome, the 3-buoys race should produce plenty of action and more positional changes throughout the race than we have seen in recent weeks.
Sixt Spring Championship Leaderboard: (top ten)
1 Rag & Famish Hotel 10pts
2 Vaikobi 24pts
3 Balmain 26pts
4 Yandoo 27pts
5 The Kitchen Maker 30pts
6 Burrawang-Young Henrys 32pts
7 Sixt 33pts
8 Finport Finance 37pts
9 Smeg 39pts
10 The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines 44pts
Race 6 of the Sixt Spring Championship will be sailed on Sunday. It is the final race of the series. The club's spectator ferry will follow the race, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf at 2pm.