Successful Australian 18 Footers League 90th Anniversary celebrations
by Frank Quealey 4 Feb 21:48 PST
5 February 2025
The Australian 18 Footers League celebrated its 90th Anniversary and the past weekend with three days of action-packed racing over Sydney Harbour - from east of the Sydney Opera House to Middle Harbour in the north.
The annual Super Sprint Series, for the Balmain Cup, got the activities under was on Friday evening with three short races, sailed over windward-return courses.
Australian and Giltinan champion teams in Finport Finance, Rag & Famish Hotel and Yandoo won the three races, but it was the excellent consistency over the three races which gave the Lazarus Capital Partners team of Tom Cunich, Josh Feldmann and Paddy Bannon overall victory.
Another of the many highlights was the recreation, after 37 years, of the Sydney Harbour Marathon on Saturday, sponsored by Shaw and Partners Financial Services, followed by celebrations in Steyne Park, Double Bay, adjacent to the clubhouse.
Will Beck's Cadet skiff, Robbie, was the overall winner of the marathon while Rag & Famish Hotel's team of Nick Robins, Max Paul and Finn Rodowicz took out the 18 footer section.
There were two races on Sunday to complete the success established over the previous two days.
First, was the annual Queen of the Harbour/Waves where each team takes an additional female in the skiff.
Smeg's queen Casey Sexty joined with Nathan McNamara, Jed Cruikshank and Jack Taylor to win the title from Belle Parker and the 18 Footers Bar and Restaurant team. Third place went to Adele Phillips and the Burrawang-Young Henrys crew of Daniel Phillips, Naku Ho and Cameron McDonald.
Adele's performance was highly impressive as she skippered the boat throughout the entire race and, from a scratch start, crossed to finishing line in fifth place - in a 17-boat fleet.
Finport Finance, Abby Shepard, Keagan York, Shaun Connor and Phil Marshall, were first across the line in the race.
The final race was the 90th Anniversary trophy, which was sailed in a light, fluctuating breeze with a number of directional shifts for the fleet to handle. The Yandoo team of Tom Needham, Fang Warren and Pete Nicholson staged a great comeback to grab a 23s victory from Finport Finance after having to recover from a fifth placing at the first weather mark.
Sail GP will have use of Sydney Harbour next Sunday (9 February) so there will be no 18 footer race. Racing will resume on Sunday, 16 February with the next race of the Australian 18 Footer League's Club Championship, which will be a late chance for all teams to sharpen their teamwork for the Giltinan Championship, March 8-16.