18ft Skiff NSW Championship Races 1 and 2

W. C 'Trappy' Duncan Trophy
Race day partner: 18 Footers Bar & Restaurant

The first two races of the 2025-26 NSW 18ft skiff Championship were conducted by the Australian 18 Footers League in very light Easterly breeze of no more than 9-10k nots at any time on Sydney Harbour today and resulted with the Balmain team of Henry Larkings, Charlie Wyatt and Laschlan Pryor taking the overall honours to hold the championship lead after the first day's racing.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Heading for the Harbour Bridge under spinnaker in Race 1 - photo © SailMedia

In Race 1, Balmain continued last week's winning form when the team defeated Smeg (Ash Rooklyn, Niall Morrow and Finn Rodowicz) by 37s, with Yandoo (Micah Lane, Fang Warren and Josh Feldmann) a further 39s back in third place.

Sixt (Jacob Marks) finished fourth, ahead of The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Hugo Stoner) and Rag & Famish Hotel (Seve Jarvin).

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Balmain wins Race 1 from Smeg - photo © SailMedia

In Race 2, Club Marine (Emma Rankin, Aron Everett and Brandon Buyink) gave a brilliant display in the testing, extremely light conditions to defeat a fast-finishing Rag & Famish Hotel (Seve Jarvin, Ryan Ewings and Max Nearn) by 17s, with Race 1 winner Balmain another 10s back in third place.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Sotheby's Bllard Property leads the fleet across the harbour in Race 2 - photo © SailMedia

Yandoo came home in fourth place ahead of Sotherby's Ballard Property (Bec Hancock) and Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York).

Emma Rankin's victory became the second female skipper to win a championship race in the 18s, and the first to win a race in the NSW Championship.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Guess who just won Race 2 of the NSW Championship - photo © SailMedia

Along with Bec Hancock (Sotheby's Ballard Property), the two female skippers are performing with distinction against the most talented male teams of recent years.

At the conclusion of the day's racing, Balmain, with a score of 4 points, holds a three point lead over Yanooo on 7, Rag & Famish Hotel on 8, Smeg 11, followed by Club Marine and Sixt equal on 12, then Sotheby's Ballard Property and Shaw and Partners equal on 14 points.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Club Marine home ahead of Rag and Famish Hotel in Race 2 - photo © SailMedia

Handicap events held in conjunction with the two championship races also resulted in wins for Balmain and Club Marine. Over the two races, Balmain won the day's honours on handicap with a total of 7 points, ahead of Sotheby's Ballard Property on 8 and The Kitchen Maker (Lachlan Steel) on 9 points.

It was a long, slow day for all teams as they searched for breeze across the harbour over the windward-leeward courses between Athol Bay and Point Piper.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - The Oak Double Bay leads a tightly bunched group at the weather mark - photo © SailMedia

In the first race took an early lead and held a 7s lead over Yandoo and Shaw and Partners at the weather mark before a spectacular capsize (unexpected in such conditions) left Yandoo with a 30s lead at the bottom mark

Balmain's team were superb on the second beat. Coming from a 40s deficit at the bottom mark, Balmain held a 12s lead from Smeg and Yandoo as the fleet headed for the finish, and eased away to take the victory by 37s.

18ft Skiff NSW Championship Day 1 - Seve Jarvin watches on as Max Nearn and Ryan Ewings prepare to round the weather mark - photo © SailMedia

In the latter race, Rag & Famish Hotel again led the fleet to the first weather mark. This time it was just a 5s margin over Sotheby's Ballard Property, followed by Yandoo, Sixt, Smeg and Shaw and Partners.

The Rag was still in front after the spinnaker run back to the bottom mark but it was now Club Marine which was putting the pressure on the leader, only 3s in arrears.

On the final beat, with the breeze appearing to drop even more, the Club Marine team out-sailed the entire fleet to open up a 55s lead over Rag & Famish Hotel, Sotheby's Ballard Property, Yandoo and Balmain.

Highlights:

Full Race Replay:

The new Shaw and Partners Race Boat:

The Australian 18 Footers League will conduct Race 6 of its club championship next Sunday with the usual Spectator Ferry leaving Double Bay Wharf at 2pm and SailMedia covering all the racing action.

Race 1 Results:

Race 2 Results: