2021-22 Red Pumps 16ft Skiff Australian Championships in Belmont Bay - Day 3
by Mark Rothfield 4 Jan 2022 14:12 UTC
1-8 January 2022
Sou'east breezes that fluctuate markedly in strength and direction, while whipping up a chop, have been known to separate the men from the boys on Lake Macquarie, and that's pretty much the case at the halfway turning mark of the 21-22 Red Pumps 16ft Skiff Australian Championships.
Today, at least, it separated the seasoned campaigners from their younger challengers following Races 4 and 5. The yellow jerseys have been handed to Nathan Wilmot, Brett Davis and Malcolm Page on the borrowed skiff Ronstan, while the venerable Lee Knapton, piloting Bryden's Lawyers, sits handily in second place.
Clean starts are critical in a fleet of this calibre, with the first beat largely setting the script for the race, which is where wise heads usually prevail. Ronstan is yet to win a race but is consistently in the top four. Bryden's has also largely flown under the radar, dropping a 12th placing in Race 3 to sit three points adrift.
Lurking in 3rd overall is the Olympic/SailGP crew on Fluid, and overnight leader Domino's dropped back to 4th.
In Race 4 it was Ronstan first at the top mark from Lancelin and IMEI, with SKE Electrical and Fluid in the mix. Belmont boats NFPG and Insight then seized a right-hand shift to be first and second at the next mark. With Ronstan breathing down their neck as well, NFPG capsized just a few boat lengths from the finish.
It was painful to watch, let alone be part of, and it opened the door for a narrow win by Insight.
"Heartbreaking really," said NFPG skipper Ben Bruniges. "We just had to stay in front on the run to the finish but we didn't pull off the last gybe because I fell over and that was the end of it.
"Still, we have a layday tomorrow and we'll come back refreshed for the rest of the series."
Race 5 saw a two-boat battle between IMEI and Brydens at the front, while Belmont's East Coast Marine flew home for third.
Australian Sailing team member David Gilmour is helming IMEI with the highly experienced Trent Barnabas and Rob Napper. Gilmour knows Belmont Bay well from his 49er training days but is still coming to grips with the 16ft skiff.
"It was pretty fun racing today," he said. "There were around 10 boats that were pushing for the front of the fleet. I'm not totally comfortable in the boat yet so there's a few mistakes on my end, but I'm enjoying it a lot."
Wilmot says the key for the Ronstan crew is keeping everything simple and consistent.
"This was only our sixth race sailing together as a team so whatever happens, happens. I think we're also winning the Masters, so that's always a good thing for us old blokes," he joked.
"It's great having the team back together too. My cousin gave us his boat for the regatta and it has worked out well. Malcolm knows when to tell me to shut up and Brett is just as solid as a rock.
"There's a lot that can happen yet, with big breezes to come, but I love sailing these boats in those conditions."
Knapton is remaining cagey about his chances of securing another national title in a class he's competed in since 1997.
"It's early days but we're just laying low and hopefully can come in at the end and give it a good shot," he said. "The boat's good, it's just us old fellas trying to get it around.
"We're trying to stay top 10 but it's hard to do that consistently in this regatta. We're just going out to have fun - if we get a result, it's a bonus."
In the award for female skippers, Bethany Sherry on Konami is tied with Georgia Steenson aboard Bella Group, just ahead of Jessica Iles on Capital Brewing. The 13ft Skiff Cheeky, sailed by Max Downey and Thomas Mountstephens, is yet to be beaten in the national titles, while Angus Stewart and Hugo Kemp aboard #9, were again runners-up in both races.
Racing resumes on Thursday, January 7.
Results after Day 3:
Pos | Boat Name | Skipper | Crew | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
1 | Ronstan | Nathan Wilmot | Brett Davis | Malcolm Page | Man | 2 | [4] | 4 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
2 | Brydens Lawyers | Lee Knapton | Peter Mackie | Ricky Bridge | StG | 7 | 2 | [12] | 4 | 2 | 15 |
3 | Fluid Building | Nathan Outteridge | Tom Slingsby | Iain Jenson | Man | 5 | [11] | 1 | 7 | 5 | 18 |
4 | Domino's | Michael Quirk | Dallas Dawson | Thomas Stenson | Bel | 6 | 1 | 2 | 10 | [15] | 19 |
5 | Moonen Yachts | Daniel Turner | Angus Williams | Matt Stenta | Man | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | [11] | 20 |
6 | IMEI | David Gilmour | Trent Barnabas | Rob Napper | Man | [12] | 3 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 21 |
7 | Insight Building Ser | Rod Carter | Adam Gilson | Andrew Stone | Bel | 4 | [16] | 3 | 1 | 14 | 22 |
8 | SKE Electrical | Scott Babbage | Scott Beeby | Joel Skelton | Bel | 3 | 12 | 8 | 3 | [18] | 26 |
9 | East Coast Marine & | Tom Dawson | Jamie Woods | Joel Castle | Bel | [16] | 8 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 30 |
10 | Contender Sailcloth | Will Howard | Richard Howard | Corey Hamilton | Bel | 10 | 6 | [14] | 9 | 6 | 31 |
11 | Sail Racing | Felix Grech | Paul Darmanin | Tom Potter | Man | 11 | 9 | 7 | [15] | 9 | 36 |
12 | Newcastle Financial | Ben Bruniges | Justin Sharrock | Dave Hickey | Bel | 8 | 7 | 18 | 5 | [47O] | 38 |
13 | Lancelin | Brendan Crisp | Fynn Sprott | Tom Cunich | Man | [29] | 10 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 42 |
14 | Money Links | Adam Piper | Troy Dobinson | Mark Willis | Bel | [23] | 13 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 48 |
15 | Red Pumps Red | Gerard Smith | Keagan York | Kirk Mitchell | Man | 14 | 17 | 10 | [19] | 17 | 58 |
16 | Toogara | Josh Tasker | Sam Monkhouse | Finn Rodowicz | StG | [18] | 14 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 59 |
17 | Sutech Building Cons | Michael Koerner | Josh Ponton | James Lawira‑Fernand | Man | 20 | 19 | 9 | [28] | 12 | 60 |
18 | Eric's Storage | Harry Lawson | Nathan Edwards | Alex Leslie | MH | 19 | [47F] | 16 | 12 | 13 | 60 |
19 | Jamesco | Ben Bradley | James Turner | Alex Marinelli | StG | 17 | 15 | [23] | 16 | 16 | 64 |
20 | Knighton Group | Jake Liddell | Max Paul | Simon Hoffman | Bel | 13 | 24 | [25] | 21 | 19 | 77 |
21 | Red Pumps | Bruce Savage | Greg Windust | Jay Harris | Man | 15 | 18 | 19 | 25 | [28] | 77 |
22 | Pepsi Max | Ross Stutchbury | Ben Pilley | Shane Burke | Bel | [26] | 20 | 20 | 17 | 26 | 83 |
23 | Tooheys Extra Dry | Matthew Meaney | Hugo Hamilton | Felix Prince | Bel | 22 | 21 | 24 | 20 | [29] | 87 |
24 | NHS Building Supplie | Matt Crockett | Robert Flanagan | Glen Dawson | Bel | 21 | 25 | 27 | [47F] | 20 | 93 |
25 | Vaikobi | Felix Daverio | Michael Childs | James Slee | Man | 27 | [28] | 21 | 22 | 23 | 93 |
26 | CMG Property Mainten | Michael Vincent | Cameron Walker | Taylor Hodgkinson | MH | 31 | 22 | [33] | 23 | 24 | 100 |
27 | Bella Group | Georgia Steenson | Michael Hochguertel | Rory Murtagh | Bel | 24 | 27 | [32] | 27 | 25 | 103 |
28 | Konami | Bethany Sherry | Jason Thompson | Shane Slattery | Bel | [47F] | 23 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 105 |
29 | ADCO Constructions | Lachlan Steel | Ben Kirkby | Jerome Watts | StG | [33] | 29 | 29 | 29 | 21 | 108 |
30 | Capital Brewing Co | Jessica Iles | Andrew Iles | Riley Pike | Man | 28 | 26 | 22 | [47F] | 35 | 111 |
31 | Edenda | Will Beck | Andrew Stephenson | Peter McLeod | Drum | 30 | [32] | 31 | 24 | 27 | 112 |
32 | XXXX Gold | Neale Jones | Luke Dunne | Mike Ovenstone | Bel | 32 | [33] | 28 | 26 | 33 | 119 |
33 | Schweppes | Bailey James | Jamie Dobinson | Rob James | Bel | 25 | 30 | [39] | 31 | 34 | 120 |
34 | Shead | Marilyn Sorensen | Steve Stenta | Michael Jenkins | MH | [47F] | 31 | 26 | 35 | 32 | 124 |
35 | Aristocrat | Kimberly Baker | Jackson Baker | Jon Searles | Bel | 37 | 34 | 35 | 33 | [47F] | 139 |
36 | PT | Hayden Hansen | Nathan Guliksen | Mark Murray | Gos | [47F] | 38 | 38 | 34 | 31 | 141 |
37 | Fireball | James Downey | James Pinnington | Sam Skeen | Man | 34 | [39] | 37 | 32 | 38 | 141 |
38 | One Too Many | Stephen Chapman | Paul Harrison | Greg Steenson | Bel | [47F] | 36 | 40 | 36 | 30 | 142 |
39 | Employment Hero | Andrew Divola | Alastair Hunter | George Thompson | Man | 35 | [37] | 34 | 37 | 36 | 142 |
40 | Cunninghams | Nick Connor | Zac Barnabas | Daniel Nugent | Man | 9 | [47C] | 47C | 47C | 47C | 150 |
41 | Kammakazie | Richard Williams | Phil Jenkins | Ian Wood | MH | 36 | 35 | 36 | [47F] | 47C | 154 |
42 | White Tiger | Michael Carter | Craig Doran | David Russel | Man | 38 | 40 | [41] | 39 | 39 | 156 |
43 | Weathertex | Jess Rivers | Will Rivers | Ryan Watt | Gos | [47F] | 41 | 47O | 40 | 37 | 165 |
44 | Inspectrite Australi | David Taylor | Josh Henshaw | William Horin | Bel | [47F] | 47F | 42 | 38 | 40 | 167 |
45 | Iron Jack | Griffin Suters | Geoff Akhurst | Sophia Ugarte | Bel | [47S] | 47F | 47C | 47F | 47F | 188 |
45 | Brian Hilton Motor G | Brent Connor | Sam Grik | Lincoln Senior | Gos | [47C] | 47C | 47C | 47C | 47C | 188 |
See full results here. More information on the event website.