18ft: Kiwi crew wins JJ Gilitinan for the first time in 80 years
by Frank Quealey Australian 18 Footers League 11 Mar 2018 20:24 UTC
12 March 2018
The Honda Marine 18ft Skiff JJ Giltinan champions with Graham Catley, the man most responsible for the New Zealand revival © Frank Quealey
New Zealand's Honda Marine (David McDiarmid, Matt Steven, Brad Collins) became the first Kiwi team to win the 80-year-old JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour when the team completed the championship with a total of 21 points to defeat fellow-kiwi team Maersk Line by just one point.
Today's race was sponsored by The Kitchen Maker
The final race of The Winning Group 2018 JJ Giltinan International Championship was sailed in a brilliant 12-15-knot North East wind on Sydney Harbour today in front of a large spectator fleet and the cheering crowds aboard the two Australian 18 Footers League's Spectator Ferries.
Australia's Finport Trade Finance (Keagan York, Matt Stenta, Angus Williams) finished strongly to take line honours by 13s from an unlucky Asko Appliances (James Dorron, Paul Montague, Harry Bethwaite) which led for almost the entire race.
The championship runner-up, Maersk Line (Josh, Porebski, Jack Simpson, Dave Hazzard) finish in third place today,1m54s behind Asko Appliances.
It was an emotional moment for Dave McDiarmid, who has tried for seven years to take the title.
As he brought Honda Marine alongside the spectator ferry to receive the coveted Blue Ribbon from former Giltinan champion David Porter, McDiarmid jumped onto to ferry to cuddle his great family supporters Jana, Viktor and his mother, Susan.
NSW champion The Kitchen Maker (Scott Babbage) finished behind the placegetters today, followed by Smeg (Lee Knapton) and Honda Marine.
Top six placings on the overall points table: Honda Marine 21 points, Maersk Line 22 points, Asko Appliances 35 points, Finport Trade Finance 42 points, Smeg 44 points and Harken (Riley Gibbs, USA) on 59 points.
Asko Appliances and Honda Marine shared the lead early on the spinnaker run from the Beashel Buoy, but Asko Appliances led the fleet once the fleet reached the bottom mark off Clark Island.
From that point, Asko Appliances led the fleet over the next three long legs of the course before coming under challenge from Finport Trade Finance.
This pair staged a great race from the Beashel Buoy, around the wing mark off Shark Island and the final run between Shark and Clark islands.
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