Sydney Skiff opener

Glen Stanaway previews this weekend's action for the 12s, 14s and 18s at the Sydney Flying Squadron

This weekend is the opening day of the season at the Sydney Flying Squadron and will see the high speed 12, 14 and 18 foot skiff classes all start their competitions.

The 18 footers are launching a new era at the SFS with a fleet of eleven skiffs. Reformation and rebuilding efforts over the last ten months has resulted in renewed vigor at the club and will see some exciting races over the upcoming summer.

Several champions from other classes and countries have come to the SFS to race these skiffs and it will be interesting to see how they perform against local skippers of the class.

Lea Sitja (Spain), Chris Kameen (UK) and Ian Pretty (Canada) all add an international flavour on the SFS 18 footers in what is historically an Australian class.

The dark horse is Pretty who has done his 18 footer apprenticeship sailing with class stalwart Michael Carter as sheet hand. Pretty has also spent time as crew in the Australian 18 footers League fleet as crew, and it is expected that he will make Churchill’s Sports Bar a strong performer at both clubs.

Sitja is an Olympic coach who was part of the Spanish 49er gold medal efforts. Whilst new to the class, a winter spent tuning and training may be quickly converted into results on his skiff Intercall. Like Sitja, Kameen is a highly experienced sailor from other classes, and a RYA coach who should be able to quickly convert a strong sailing base into results.

It will be tough for these new teams though, with home grown talent from the SFS expected to dominate early in the season. Michael Boyd sailing on Austar is an experienced 18 footer skipper has secured a top team and all new rigs and sails. In any class this is a tough combination to beat.

The International 14 foot skiffs are also experiencing new growth in the fleet and this weekend’s racing will show what’s to come for this season and beyond. A fleet of 10 or more is expected, and close racing is guaranteed with no clear local favourites.

A new series has been promoted for the 12 footers, the Garde Sydney Harbour Series should see in excess of 20 of these explosive skiffs racing out of the SFS. The club’s opening day should see most of the class on the water. The class is well represented by very skilled sailors who have superior handling skills, which could well place them in front of many of the new inexperienced teams in the 18 footers or 14s.

Spectacular sailing is expected with a 20 to 25 knot weather forecast. It will be skiff racing at its best: explosive and fast.