Skiff action in Sydney

Peter Danby previews the JJ Giltinan Trophy where 10 of the 27 boats taking part are from the UK

The world's top talent in the 18 foot Super Skiff class is once again gathered in Double Bay, Sydney Harbour, to compete for the JJ Giltinan Trophy.

18 footer racing has been taking place here since January 1892, and the Trophy was presented in 1938 by James J Giltinan, who was then the Secretary of the New South Wales 18-footers Sailing League.

Among many famous Australian skippers who have won the coveted trophy are Iain Murray, Hugh Treharne, Ken Beashel and Ben Lexcen. Although the class has now spread throughout the world, southern hemisphere domination by Australian and New Zealand teams was not broken until 1999, when Tim Robinson from Great Britain lifted the trophy. The second northern skipper to do so was Howie Hamlin from the USA earlier this year. Hamblin is back to defend his title.

27 Skiffs are entered, and the racing is bound to be ultra close and exciting. Picking a likely winner is extremely difficult, although the chances are fairly high that the successful skipper will be one who has won the event in the past.

Home skipper Trevor Barnabas has done so on five previous occasions, and has the distinction of being the only one in the history of the trophy to have won it twice in one year, when it was contested in both Sydney Harbour and Sardinia in 1997. Trevor has been showing very good form so far this season, and would be delighted to become the first to reach six victories, to put him ahead of Iain Murray who is the only other skipper to have won five times - when he proved to be unbeatable from 1977 to 1981.

Strong opposition will come from this year's northern hemisphere entrants, with Howie Hamlin determined to repeat his 2002 success. Great Britain has an unprecedented ten entries, including previous winner Tim Robinson and also the experienced Rob Greenhalgh aboard RMW Marine is looking for his first victory in the event.

Racing begins on Friday 3 January with the invitation race, followed by the Trophy series from the 4th to the 12th.

Entries

RAG & FAMISH	WARWICK ROOKLYN	AUS
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH	CLINTON WADE-LEHMAN	SA
TERRY HOGAN	CHRIS DIXON	AUS
CHURCHILLS SPORTS BAR	BEN AUSTIN	AUS
AVAYA	PETER MORRISON	AUS
OMEGA SMEG	TREVOR BARNABAS	AUS
TOTAL RECALL	TONY HANNAN	AUS
CASIO SEAPATHFINDER	MIKE COXON	AUS
FISHER & PAYKEL	GRANT ROLLERSON	AUS
YANDOO	JOHN WINNING	AUS
ROSEMOUNT	MICAH LANE	AUS
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES	ANTHONY ( JACK) YOUNG	AUS
ARISTOCRAT	GARY PHILLIPS	AUS
EXPRESS POST	HUGH STODDART	AUS
ASKO	DAVID LUMB	AUS
NEW ZEALAND	CHRIS SKINNER	NZ
BASE 1	ROB DULSON	UK
RMW MARINE	ROB GREENHALGH	UK
RADII	ANDY RICHARDS	UK
LINKS ASSOCIATES	TIM PENFOLD	UK
OVINGTON BOATS	DAVE OVINGTON	UK
HERMES	ED BROWNE	UK
ERNST & YOUNG	JARROD SIMPSON	UK
COMPUTERCENTRE	NEALE FITZGERALD	UK
FLAWLESS	PABLO SOLDANO	ITA
TEAM CANADA	FRED EATON	CAN
GE/US HALLENGE	HOWIE HAMLIN	USA
SMEG 2	STEVE McLEAN	UK