A battle of champions

Asko and Casio both fought hard for race four of the 18ft Skiff League Club Championship

The Casio Seapathfinder team of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis continued their superb recent form with a strong win in race four of the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship on Sunday.

Casio led for almost the entire course and withstood challenges from Asko Appliances (Hugh Stodart) and Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris) to win by 34secs from Asko with Rag & Famish a further 58secs back in third place.

The win gives Casio the lead in the championship with 11 points followed by Rag & Famish on 14 and Club Marine (Euan Mc Nicol) on 19.

Fisher & Paykel took the lead shortly after the start but Casio came back from sixth when Coxon elected to sail to the eastern side of the course while the leading group had gone to the north.

At the windward mark Casio held a 25secs lead over Asko and Fisher & Paykel with Rag & Famish another five secs back.

Rag & Famish gybed early and moved into second place at the wing mark.

Casio maintained her lead upwind and led by 15secs from Asko at the Beashel Buoy. Rag & Famish was relegated to third place just behind Asko.

After the long spinnaker run down the middle of the harbour Asko closed to within five secs of Casio at the Clarke Island leeward buoy.

It was a battle of the champions over the final lap of the course between Casio (Giltinan champion) and Asko (Australian champion) with Casio maintaining her advantage then easing away over the concluding stages.

Results:

Pos	Skiff	Handicap Place	Club Cship Points
1	Casio Seapathfinder	1	11
2	Asko Appliances	12	36
3	Rag & Famish Hotel	8	14
4	Ssangyong Yandoo	3	21
5	Fisher & Paykel	4	52
6	Club Marine	11	19
7	De Longhi	5	31
8	CST Composites	2	51
9	SX Projects	6	55
10	Maytag	7	36
11	Belle Property	9	57
12	Toshiba	13	54
13	Panasonic	10	52
14	appliancesonline.com.au	14	43
15	Active Air		66
16	Wentworth Courier		79
17	Aristocrat		92
18	Omega Smeg		42
19	AAPT		56
20	Noakes Youth		82
21	Southern Cross Constructions		79
22	Rosemount		92