18 FOOTER SKIFF CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

by Leigh Maloney on 15 Jan 2001 FINAL RESULTS: COMPUTER ASSOC J J GILTINAN INTERNATIONAL 18 FOOT
SKIFF CHAMPIONSHIP

It was a changing of the guard in 18 Footer skiff racing today when young
gun John Harris sailing a spectacular race beat his older, more experienced
rivals Trevor Barnabas and John Winning in the final heat of the Computer
Associates J J Giltinan International Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

Harris, skippering Rag & Famish Hotel and Trevor Barnabas' Omega Smeg
sailed neck and neck throughout the final heat until a mishap when Omega
Smeg's spinnaker fell in the water at the end of the second lap, allowing
the Rag to go wide and take the lead, maintaining it until the finish.

John Winning on AMP Centrepoint pushed Harris and Barnabas all the way with
some fantastic downwind sailing in the light 8-10 nor easterly breeze, but
managed to finish in third place in today's heat and overall.

'We had to fight all the way today but we felt fairly confident coming into
the last leg,' an estatic Harris said back on shore. 'There were some
pretty tense moments with Trevor, and John Winning is the fastest downwind
sailor so that added extra pressure. We couldn't be happier though, because
it all came together for us at the right moment'.

Harris, a 24 year old university student and his crew of Craig Ferris
(Sheet) and Chris Cleary (Forwardhand) have been together for five seasons
with this being their first J J Giltinan title following a 3rd placing last
season. Harris' victory denied Barnabas a record sixth win which would
have equalled Iain Murrays longstanding record.



RESULTS:
1. Rag & Famish Hotel / J.Harris / Australia
2. Omega Smeg / T. Barnabas / Australia
3. AMP Centrepoint / J. Winning / Australia
4. Sports Illustrated / A. Stabback / Australia
5. Great Britain / T. Robinson / UK
6. Bell Partners / M. Page / Australia
7. CCA / R. Dooley / Australia
8. RMW Marine / R. Greenhalgh / UK
9. Team Portugal / P. R. Andrade / Portugal
10. Express Post / H. Stodart / Australia
11. Sunday Telegraph / M. Coxon / Australia
12. Microsoft / M. Felton / Australia
13. Team Paterson / G. Paterson / Australia
14. Avaya Communication / P. Morrison / Australia
15. Tyrrells Wines / D. Lumb / Australia
16. White Stuff / V. Brellisford / UK
17. Gofish / G. Turner / Australia
18. Playstation / P. Soldano / Italy
19. SP Systems-Team Alfa / T. Webster / Australia
20. Computer Associates / A. Saunders / Australia
21. Swiss Challenge / M.Peberdy / Switzerland
22.Vertical Markets / G. Phillips / Australia
23. SP Systems-Team Kia / J.Steel / Australia
24. Marlow / H. Hillary / UK
25. General Electric / H. Hamlin / USA
26. Total Recall / C. Wade-Lehman / South Africa

Margins:
1st-2nd: 59 secs
2nd-3rd: 10 secs

Overall Final Points (with discard) :
1.RAG & FAMISH HOTEL 26.7
2.OMEGA SMEG 28.4
3.AMP CENTREPOINT 36.4
4.GREAT BRITAIN 55
5.MICROSOFT 72.1
6.RMW MARINE 73
7.EXPRESS POST 74.7
8.BELL PARTNERS 82.7
9.CCA 85
10. COMPUTER ASSOCIATES 98.4
11. SP SYSTEMS-TEAM ALFA 99
12.= GENERAL ELECTRIC 104
12.= SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 104
14. TEAM PORTUGAL 105
15. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 106.4
16.= AVAYA COMMUNICATION 121
16.=WHITE STUFF 121
18.TEAM PATERSON 126
19.VERTICAL MARKETS 129
20.TYRRELLS WINES 133
21.SUISSE 146
22.GOFISH 148
23.PLAYSTATION 149
24.TOTAL RECALL 163
25.SP SYSTEMS-TEAM KIA 177
26.MARLOW 181
27.PINK HAMMER 183