A double race victory to the Yandoo team of John ‘Herman’ Winning, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake, on Sydney Harbour today, sees the team grab a narrow lead at the half way point in the eight-race NSW 18ft Skiff Championship being conducted by the Australian 18 Footers League.
Going into today’s races, Balmain’s team of Henry Larkings, Tom Grimes and Locky Pryoe held a three point lead over Yandoo but now Yandoo has reversed the positions to lead Balmain by just one point.
In today’s first race (Race 3 of the NSW Championship). Yandoo came from behind at the end of the first lap to defeat Balmain by 9s with Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell, Andrew Stephenson, Daniel Barnett) a further 54s back in third place.
Rag & Famish Hotel (Ben Crafoord) finished in fourth place ahead of Sixt (Jacob Marks) and Fisher & Paykel (Brett Van Munster).
In the later race (Race 5), Yandoo defeated Vaikobi by 42s with Lazarus Capital Partners (Tom Cunich, Edoardo Gamba, Benedict McKay) a further 5s back in third place.
Balmain came in fourth, followed by Rag & Famish Hotel and Smeg (Ash Rooklyn).
The progress points at the half-way stage of the NSW Championship show Yandoo on 9 points, Balmain 10 points, Rag & Famish Hotel 17, Smeg 26, Sixt 28 and Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York) on 29 points.
Each race today was sailed in a mainly 10-14 knot SE breeze over a two-lap windward-leeward course and all teams elected to use their #2 rigs in anticipation of stronger winds prevailing for the afternoon.
Shot & edited by Sprott Media
Livestream footage courtesy of Sail Media
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