Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship - Day 5

Smeg led for most of Race 7 on 18ft Skiff 73rd JJ Giltinan Championship Day 5 © Frank Quealey

Lazarus produced another consistent performance in Race 7 on 18ft Skiff 73rd JJ Giltinan Championship Day 5 © Frank Quealey

Today's Sponsor: Vaikobi

Defending champion Andoo team of John Winning Jr, Seve Jarvin and Sam Newton held off a final challenge over the last downwind leg of the course to win an exciting, incident packed Race 7 of the Winning Group JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

Andoo grabbed the lead, from Smeg, for the first time shortly after rounding the last weather mark and defeated a gallant Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price, Josh McKnight and Harry Hall) by just 7s.

Finport Finance (Keagan York, Angus Williams and Phil Marshall) finished a further 1m27s back in third place, ahead of Lazarus (Marcus Ashley Jones), Yandoo (John Winning), Balmain Slake (Henry Larkings), Smeg (Michael Coxon), Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Dave O'Connor), Noakes Youth (Tom Cunich) and Black Knight (Heinrich Bayern).

With protests pending, the net progress points, with two more races to be sailed in the championship, are: Andoo leading on 17, Smeg 22, Finport Finance 23, then three teams Big Pete (Sean Langman), Yandoo and Rag & Famish Hotel all equal on 27 points.

Today's race was sailed in a 10 knot Easterly breeze and produced an exciting event for spectators as the leading four teams fought hard over the final lap of the course.

Smeg led narrowly from Andoo at the first weather mark in Rose Bay and opened up a good lead over Yandoo, Rag & Famish Hotel, Lazarus, Finport Finance and Andoo on the downwind leg back to the bottom mark off Kurraba Point.

The second beat back to Rose Bay belonged to the Smeg team as it extended the lead to one minute over Lazarus, Finport Finance, Rag & Famish Hotel, Andoo, Yandoo and Noakes Youth.

Smeg still held the lead at the bottom mark on the second lap but the chasers were starting to make a move and as the leaders approached Bradley Head there was little between Smeg, Andoo and Rag & Famish Hotel.

Race for the lead on the final beat during Race 7 on 18ft Skiff 73rd JJ Giltinan Championship Day 5 - photo © Frank Quealey

The three teams then produced a great battle as they approached the final weather mark with Smeg narrowly leading from Andoo, which was applying the pressure, and Rag & Famish Hotel just a few more metres behind the leaders.

Fisher & Paykel won the handicap section ofRace 7 on 18ft Skiff 73rd JJ Giltinan Championship Day 5 - photo © Frank Quealey

Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis, Jacob Broom and Josh Feldmann) won the handicap section of today's race from The Kitchen Maker (Lachlan Steel) and Lazarus Development (Hugo Stoner).

Germany's Black Knight team of Heinrich Bayern, Thomas Martin and Andy Martin lead the handicap overall points from Yandoo and Birkenhead Point Marina (Kirk Mitchell).

Big Foot and Black Knight on the middle run in Race 7 on 18ft Skiff 73rd JJ Giltinan Championship Day 5 - photo © Frank Quealey

With little between the top teams vying for the championship, the weekend's racing will be a no-holds-barred contest between the leading six teams and the club's spectator ferry is expected to be filled to capacity.

The remaining race dates for the Winning Group 73rd JJ Giltinan World 18 footer Championship are:

• Saturday - March 11 - Race 8
• Sunday - March 12 - Race 9

The Australian 18 Footers League spectator ferry will follow each day's racing, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf, alongside the clubhouse, at 2pm.

Results after Race 7: