18ft Skiffs: Asko and Yandoo top table in Australian titles

Asko Appliances heading for a strong finish in Race 1, Race 1, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 © Frank Quealey

Asko Appliances shows her downwind speed which sees the team share the lead with Yandoo after the first day's racing, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 © Frank Quealey

Dal Zotto sailed consistently well in both races, Race 1 and 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 © Frank Quealey

The first day's racing in the 2017-2018 Australian 18ft Skiff Championship was sailed on Sydney Harbour Sunday in a 15-knots East-North-East wind and produced some close racing and a variety of placings in the 17-boat fleet. In Race 1, Smeg (Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge, Mike McKensey) cruised to a comfortable 18s win over Yandoo (John Winning Jr., Cam McDonald, Mike Kennedy) with Asko Appliances (James Dorron, Paul Montague, Trent Barnabas) just 2s further back in third place.

A capsize by Smeg during the lead up period to the start of Race 2 was disastrous to the first race winner when Smeg missed the start by several minutes.

After a strong finish in Race 1, the Asko Appliances team were quick to grab the lead in Race 2 and gave no other team a chance of victory as they powered to a massive 58s win over the short ENE course.

Yandoo backed up her first race runner-up placing with a similar result in Race 2 and shares the lead with Asko Appliances on four points after the first day's racing.

Smeg recovered from her horror start in Race 2 to finish that race in seventh place to be tied overall with Appliancesonline.com.au (Brett Van Munster, Phil Marshall, Nick Hord) on eight points.

The young Rag & Famish Hotel team of Bryce Edwards, Jacob Broome, Rory Cox elected to sail with their smaller #2 rig and sailed brilliantly to grab third place in Race 2 for an overall total of 10 points, and fifth place on the leader board.

Finport Trade Finance (Keagan York, Matt Stenta, Cory Hamilton) are sixth overall on 11 points.

In Race 1 Appliancesonline won the start but Smeg's great windward leg saw the team take an 8s lead from Appliancesonline, The Kitchen Maker (Scott Babbage), Yandoo, Asko Appliances, Finport, Rag & Famish Hotel, Noakes Youth (Kirk Mitchell) and Triple M (James Ward).

Smeg extended her lead over the next two legs and headed for home with a 30s lead from Yandoo before going on to the 18s victory.

Asko Appliances came home very strongly in Race 1, and with Smeg out of contention, quickly established her supremecy to lead by 15s at the windward mark.

A faultless exhibition and great downwind boatspeed saw Asko race further away from the fleet before going on to her 58s win over the consistent Yandoo.

Races 3 & 4 of the Australian Championship will be sailed next Sunday, 4 February

Follow all the Club's Racing: Website: www.18footers.com Twitter: @18skiff Instagram: @18skiff Facebook: International 18ft Skiff Youtube: 18footerstv

After winning Race 1 the Smeg team missed the start by several minutes after a pre start capsize, Race 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Asko Appliances, minus two of the letters in her name, heads for victory in Race 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Only 5secs separated these two teams at the end of Race 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Rag and Famish Hotel leads Ilve home in Race 1, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Downwind action in Race 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Start of Race 1 of the Australian Championship, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

The bottom mark in Race 1, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Yandoo shares the lead on points with Asko after the first day's racing, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Triple M was below her best on the first day's racing in the Australian Championship, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

NSW champion The Kitchen Maker had a mixed day when gear failure forced them back in the fleet for Race 2, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

The young Rag and Famish crew drove the boat hard all day for two good results, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

The Smeg team cruise to victory in Race 1, Australian National Championships, Sydney, January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Results - Australian Championship Race 1 - January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey

Results - Australian Championship Race 2 - January 28, 2018 - photo © Frank Quealey