Gotta Love It 7 sets the tone

Seve Jarvin's crew comes out on top at the Invitational Race prior to tomorrow start of the JJ

Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Scott Babbage showed why the Gotta Love It 7 team is favourite for the 2014 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship, presented by Sydney City Marine, after a good win in the Invitation Race, sailed on Sydney Harbour today.

In a race sailed in a weakening southeast breeze, Gotta Love It 7 took the honours by 1m27s from UK skiff Pica, sailed by James Mears, Stewart Mears and Matt Searle, with Fisher & Paykel (Grant Rollerson, Peter Nicholson, Geoff Bauchop) another 26s back in third place.

With the championship proper to begin tomorrow, today’s results were good for the international teams as four countries were featured in the first nine places of the 34-boat fleet.

Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones) finished fourth, ahead of USA’s Howie Hamlin on CST Composites, Appliancesonline.com.au (Micah Lane), The Black Dog (Jarrod Simpson, UK), Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney) and C-Tech (Alex Vallings, NZ).

Race Dates are:
Saturday 1 March Race 1
Sunday 2 March Race 2
Tuesday 4 March Race 3
Wednesday 5 March Race 4
Thursday 6 March Race 5
Saturday 8 March Race 6
Sunday 9 March Race 7

The fleet for the championship:
1 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Scott Babbage
2 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers Michael Coxon, Dave O’Connor, Trent Barnabas
3 Mojo Wine Chris Nicholson, Mike McKensey, Ricky Bridge
4 C-Tech Alex Vallings, Chris Kitchen, Joshua McCormack
5 Coopers 62-Rag & Famish Hotel Jack Macartney, Mark Kennedy, Peter Harris
6 Sydney City Marine David Witt, Tom Clout, Matt Wark
7 Smeg Nick Press, Dan Phillips, Dave Ewings
8 Yamaha David McDiarmid, Andrew Archibald, Mark Overington
9 Fisher & Paykel Grant Rollerson, Peter Nicholson, Geoff Bauchop
10 Asko Appliances Marcus Ashley-Jones, James Dorron, Jeronimo Harrison
11 Lumix Jonathan Whitty, James Hozack, Aron Everett
12 Pica Jamie Mears, Stewart Mears,Matt Searle
13 CST Composites Howie Hamlin, Mike Martin, Nick Catley
14 Winning Appliances Shane Smith, Shane Dickson, Jake Restall
15 Yandoo John Winning, Andrew Hay, Jim Beck
16 Appliancesonline.com.au Micah Lane, Paul Montague, Tom Anderson
17 Haier Appliances Rick Peacock, Tristan Hutt, Nick Murray
18 Rabbitohs-Kenwood Brett Van Munster, Joel Castle, Kurt Fatouris
19 The Kitchen Maker Will Phillips, Malcolm Page, Cameron McDonald
20 Knight Frank Riley Dean, Matt Coutts, John Little
21 Original Chia Flemming Clausen, Soren Clausen, Kez Cameron
22 De’Longhi-Rabbitohs Simon Nearn, Kieryn Cowan, Keagan York
23 Pure Blonde Nick Daly, John Walton, James Smithers
24 Black Dog Jarrod Simpson, Daniel Nixon, John Sweeny
25 Maersk Line Graham Catley, Matt Randell, Brad Collins
26 Hyde Sails Jack Grogan, Sam Caslin, Michael Banks
27 Magic Marine Norbetr Peter, Finn Mrugalla, Eike Dietrich
28 Compassforex.com.au Pedro Vozone, Jakub Jankowski, Daniel Watson
29 EuroLink Friedrich Renner, Christian Meissner, Thomas Eggersdorfer
30 PB Towage Josh Franklin, Tristan Hamilton, Barry Flanagan
31 Viagogo Alexandra South, Greg Dixon, James Slee
32 Ilve Oliver Hartas, Josh Marks, Tim Lake
33 Brisbane 18 Footers Laurie Williamson, Daniel Smith, Nathan Smittmann
34 Layline Automation Skip McCormack, Jody McCormack, Joe Penrod