ACO 14th Musto Skiff World Championship 2025, Sydney, Australia - Day 2
by Graeme Oliver 6 Jan 10:49 UTC
2-10 January 2025
Day two of the Musto Skiff World Championships dawned with blue skies and a slightly lighter forecast than day 1, and with the building tide and the NE breeze at 15 to 20 kts, it provided a glamorous set of conditions in "relatively" flat water.
The first race of the day (race 3 of the Championship) started with the usual suspects leading off the line and driving towards the cliffs on the left with a great cameo from Paul Dijkstra leading at the windward mark, hotly pursued by Danny Boatman, Jon Newman, and Jono Shelley.
Danny decided (and this is becoming a bit too obvious) that he wanted to try out again for the Australian swimming team at the gybe along with Paul, letting a very grateful Jon and Jono through to lead at the bottom mark. The battle behind was brewing with Jamie Hilton, Marcus Hamilton, Eddie Bridle, and Graeme Oliver trading places as the second beat panned out, splits between the left and right side of the beat giving some interesting tactical options. Jon consolidated down the run to take the win from Jono and Matthias Houvenagel.
The next race (race 4) started in very similar conditions, but with the added option of the right side of the beat as the tide slowed, meaning that good options were available if you got nailed on the start.
Andy Tarboton came off the line like a scalded cat and led the fleet to the left with Rob Richardson and Jon Newman coming out clear of the fleet, Newman showing some spectacular boat speed. Boatman showing his usual speed to pull through to second at the windward mark.
Safely round the top mark, Boatman did his now traditional swim on the hoist (is it called a medley when you do all the strokes?) and watched as Newman, Richardson, and Shelley sailed by serenely - not sniggering at all.
The following pack of Marcus Hamilton, Jono Neate, and Casey Bates had a great race to secure good positions, while the top three ended with Tarboton taking his first win, followed in by Newman cementing another great result, and Richardson recovering from an unusual 9th in race 1.
Into race 5 (the last of the day), and the breeze was up to 20, the tide had turned, so the epic confused chop was back (granted, not as bad as day 1 but still...), which made the boat handling come into play even more. Newman (getting a bit boring now...), again leading off the line with Richardson and Boatman driving out left and leading at the windward mark.
In their gas, Houvengel, Tarboton, Bridle, and Oliver were trading places in hot pursuit. Down the run, the fleet lit up with boat speeds in excess of 17 kts and great wave jumping.
At the leeward mark, Bridle and Oliver split right after a leftie, allowing them to bang the right side, and at one point it looked as if the two would clear the fleet. Boatman spotting the issue on the left bailed out and joined Bridle and Oliver playing the shifts on the right. Newman had enough of a lead to squeeze round ahead of Boatman and Bridle, Oliver getting caught in the following pack just behind.
On the final run, the gybe hoist paid, and the front bunch stayed in place with Newman again, proving speed is a good thing and taking the win from Boatman, finally managing to keep the stick at the sky for a race (although he did spill pizza down himself later), and Bridle and Richardson followed in fourth, but then Rob found out he was OCS.
Right through the fleet there was some great racing, the slightly more manageable conditions allowing a bit less emphasis on survival and more on blasting around this iconic venue.
After the final race of an epic day, Rob has slipped back to fifth, and Aussie Jon Newman has propelled himself into pole position, albeit on countback from the ever-consistent Andy Tarboton, who is now sitting in second place. Rounding out the top 3 is Matthias Houvenagel in third.
Results after Day 2: (top three)
1st – Jon Newman (AUS)
2nd – Andy Tarboton (RSA)
3rd – Matthias Houvenagel (AUS)
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