Sydney 2000 Olympian Daniel Phillips starred today on Sydney Harbour when he skippered Omega Smeg to victory in Heat 1 of the Computer Associates Australian 18ft Skiff Championship.

Phillips and his crew of Trent Barnabas and Jim Beck took out the race by 47seconds from Tony Hannan’s Maytag.

Third placing went to AAPT, Sean Langman, which finished a further 10 seconds behind Maytag.

For Langman it was a big change from his second place performance at the helm of his maxi yacht of the same name in the recent Sydney-Hobart race.

After a delayed start the fleet got away over the south-east course in a 15-knot breeze. The fleet quickly split into two separate groups as they worked into the windward mark at Rose Bay.

The skiffs on the right-hand side of the course did better and when the groups met Omega Smeg led narrowly from Casio Seapathfinder.

Casio reversed these positions at the mark where she led Omega Smeg by 20 seconds, then followed AAPT, Club Marine, Maytag and SX Projects.

Positions at the head of the fleet changed regularly over the next three legs and it was now Club Marine and Maytag which led at the end of the first complete circuit of the course.

Two legs later and it was Omega Smeg’s turn to lead from Maytag and Club Marine in one of the most closely contested championship races seen on the harbour for many years.

From that point though Omega Smeg held onto the lead despite the constant challenges from Maytag, AAPT and Club Marine.

Results

1 Omega Smeg 5th (handicap place) 0.75pts

2 Maytag 2nd (handicap place) 2.0 pts

3 AAPT 7th (handicap place) 3.0 pts

4 Club Marine 6th (handicap place) 4.0 pts

5 Fisher & Paykel 1st (handicap place) 5.0 pts

6 Computer Associates 3rd (handicap place) 6.0 pts

7 Rag & Famish Hotel 10th (handicap place) 7.0 pts

8 SX Projects 8th (handicap place) 8.0 pts

9 Asko Appliances 16th (handicap place) 9.0 pts

10 Casio Seapathfinder 14th (handicap place) 10.0 pts

11 Team Morrison 9th (handicap place) 11.0 pts

12 CST Composites 13th (handicap place) 12.0 pts

13 Ssangyong Yandoo 15th (handicap place) 13.0 pts

14 Team Pomfret 4th (handicap place) 14.0 pts

15 Adtec Communications 11th (handicap place) 15.0 pts

16 Churchills Sports Bar 12th (handicap place) 16.0 pts

17 Panasonic 17th (handicap place) 17.0 pts

18 Aristocrat 18th (handicap place) 18.0 pts

19 Rosemount 19th (handicap place) 19.0 pts

20 Belle Property 20th (handicap place) 20.0 pts