Preparation time

We take a look at the 18ft Skiff form guide as the start of the JJ Giltinan approaches

Starting this Friday on Sydney Harbour, the annual JJ Giltinan Championship is generally regarded as the effective 18ft Skiff World Championship. The event pits the top Australia 18 sailors against a broad international field and is never short of experienced sailors and this year's JJ will be no exception.

While Australia continues to dominate the 18ft Skiff scene in terms of both results and sheer number of boats, this year there have been more new boats launched than previously, a sign that the class may finally be on the upturn again. Four new boats have been built to race in Sydney this year, with another built for British former JJ winner Rob Greenhalgh, being shipped directly back to the UK. The new boats staying in Australia have almost exclusively gone to the top teams; Fiat, Macquarie Real Estate, Gotta Love It 7 and Active Air will all be out showing off their new hulls.

One of the most influential figures in the class is John Winning Senior (aka Woody). Winning's company Winning Appliances is a major retailer of 'white goods' hence why so many fridge/freezer brands end up with their names emblazoned down the sides of boats on the circuit.

“I think the class is the strongest it has been for about 30 or 40 years," says Winning. "As well as the new boats we are getting a lot of enquiries by a number of younger blokes.” Many of these younger sailors have already been sailing skiffs through the early part of their youth, coming from boats like the 29er. Interestingly Winning says they have seen a number of sailors in their late teens or early 20s coming straight out of small skiffs and looking at going straight into the 18ft Skiff class instead of progressing there via medium-sized skiffs like the 49er.

In terms of the JJ Giltinan and who is likely to scoop victory there are a number of teams in the hunt. "I think a lot of the guys are looking real consistent at the moment," Winning says. " Fiat and Gotta Love It 7 have been the most consistent and are probably the favourites but Rag and Famish have been consistently up there but have not quite converted a number of seconds and thirds into victories. After those three Macquarie [ Real Estate] and us have been sailing quite well. In fact I think this is the best I have sailed in a few years. The team that wins the event will be the guys that step up and push themselves that little bit harder."

Grant Rollerson, skipper of De Longhi paints the picture from slightly further back in the pack. "We would be stoked to be top ten and even more stoked to be top six," he explains. "Really we are not likely to keep up with the top few guys they end to be on a different level but there are a number of us back a little bit in the fleet that have some real close racing so I think it will be great.”

The Contenders:



Fiat

Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis are firm favourites in most people’s eyes. They are reigning JJ Giltinan champions, following their win in 2006. This year in a new boat they have been proving they are the team to beat out on the water. They are consistent across the wind ranges and have been putting in some serious hours on the water training.

Gotta Love It 7

Seve Jarvin, Robert Bell and Sam Newton are also considered to be firm favourites to take the event. Again, like Fiat, they have shown themselves to be quick across the wind range and have been putting the time in on the water. As a team they are relatively new to the scene with sponsors, The Seven Network, announcing the team in September 2006. 18ft Skiff and America's Cup legend Iain Murray has been mentoring the trio and they have proved their worth this season.

The Seven Network and Murray were the people behind Color 7, which dominated 18ft Skiff racing winning six consecutive world championships.

Macquarie Real Estate

Micah Lane, Jack Macartney, Drew Waller are the newly crowned Australian 18ft Skiff Champions. A relatively long standing crew they have put a lot of hard work in over the last two seasons and are now coming together in their new boat. There were some, largely unfounded, rumors of the team’s boat weighing in light and being 50mm too wide at the Australian Nationals so they will be out to prove themselves again at the JJ Giltinan. Consistency may well be the key for this team with them failing to finish the last few races they have entered.

Rag & Famish

John Harris, Craig Ferris, Chris Cleary are a very long standing team. They have been in and around the top of the 18ft Skiff fleet for nearly a decade. This leaves them as one of the most experienced teams that are hard to fluster. They have lacked wins this season though have always been close to the top of the table.

Asko Appliances

Hugh Stodart, Paul Schulz, Niall Kinch were considered by many to be favourites at the JJ Giltinan last year. However, the team once again managed to come away with a second place. Often the breeze in February is tricky in Sydney and Asko excel in these shifty conditions. They will be looking to take the win and stand a good chance if things go their way.

Pegasus Racing

Previous JJ winners Howie Hamlin, Mike Martin and Trent Barnabas are without doubt the top-rated International team. Following wins in the 18ft Skiff International Regatta’s in both Lake Garda and San Francisco in 2006 this team looks to be on form. They are slightly on the heavy side compared to many of the other skiff teams and tend to excel in the windy weather. However, Hamlin is undeniably one of the greats and will not let up, even if the wind foes light.

CT SailBattens

Phil Airey and his New Zealand crew were quick at the JJ Giltinan in 2006 and are likely to be one of the top international contenders. Recently they managed a ten minute victory over the rest of the fleet in a light wind race. There is speculation abound about rumored non standard foils on their boat leaving them an unknown entity to some extent.

Ssangyong Yandoo

John Winning, Andrew Hay and Geoff Bauchop are current State Champions and were runners-up by a very small margin at the Australian Championship. There is certainly a great deal of experience on this boat and as Winning himself states consistency will be their key to the title.

The UK will be represented by three boats this year, the same number as in 2006, though only one of this year's teams was at the JJ Giltinan last year.

Fat Face

Tim Penfold and crew are returning to the JJ Giltinan for the second time. After a sucessfull season on the UK cicuit they will be looking to prove they have what it takes on the International level.

GE Commercial Finance

Mason Woodworth, David Brown and Simon Hamilton are relative necomers to the 18ft Skiff racing scene having started sailing together at the begining of 2006. Competing throughout last year under the name White Stuff the team now have a new sponsor and are looking set to do great things. Woodworth, the skipper, has a strong history on the match racing circuit but has he adapted well enough to this high performance racing?

Finally Jared Simpson is said to have ordered a new boat and this has just been completed in time for the event though it has yet to hit the water. In addition to this Adam Ovington and Simon Nearns have been out in Australia for several months and will be competing with Grant Rollerson in De Longhi