The 18 foot Skiff sailors willingly traded some sunshine for more breeze, and everyone was much happier after races five and six of the international championship in the Bay of Quiberon yesterday (5 June). Although the overhead conditions varied, with some sun, some cloud and just a little rain, the breeze remained consistent at Force 3-4 from the west, giving very fast sailing on the flat water.

John Winning on ‘Yandoo’ again read the windshifts perfectly on the first beat, and established a lead which he held throughout race five. Howie Hamlin on ‘US Challenge’ took second, with Rob Greenhalgh third on ‘RMW Marine’.

It was Tim Robinson on ‘Great Britain’ who made the best job of the opening beat in race six, to lead at the windward mark from Trevor Barnabas on ‘Omega Smeg’. A closely fought battle developed between these two, and it was ‘Omega Smeg’ that rounded the windward mark for the third and final time with a slender advantage. Unfortunately, Jarrod Simpson dislocated his shoulder during the hoist, but gallantly insisted that ‘Great Britain’ should finish the race before he was taken off for treatment with their second place secured.

There was drama of a different kind as ‘US Challenge’ and ‘Yandoo’ converged towards the finishing line from opposite sides of the course, apparently neck and neck, but with ‘Yandoo’ holding the advantage of being on starboard gybe. In a superb split-second manoeuvre, Howie Hamlin gybed just as the boats appeared certain to collide, and got the bowsprit of ‘US Challenge’ across the line first.

After a day of extremely good racing, the fleet will now take their traditional lay day, and return for the final four races of the series.

Results

Race 5

1st ‘Yandoo’ John Winning, Jack Young and Euan MacNicol (AUS)

2nd ‘US Challenge’ – Howard Hamlin, Mike Martin and Chris Cleary (USA)

3rd ‘RMW Marine’ – Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Jon Saunt (GBR)

4th ‘Total Recall’ – Tony Hannan, Greg Windust and Mack Kavanagh (AUS)

5th ‘White Stuff’ – Victor Brellisford, James Fawcett and Dave Smith (GBR)

6th ‘Wempe’ – Flemming Clausen, Michael Pedersen and Soren Clausen (DEN)

Race 6

1st ‘Omega Smeg’ – Trevor Barnabas, Daniel Phillips and Rod Howell (AUS)

2nd ‘Great Britain’ – Tim Robinson, Simon Nearn and Jarrod Simpson (GBR)

3rd ‘US Challenge’ – Howard Hamlin, Mike Martin and Chris Cleary (USA)

4th ‘Yandoo’ – John Winning, Jack Young and Euan MacNicol (AUS)

5th ‘RMW Marine’ – Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Jon Saunt (GBR)

6th ‘Total Recall’ – Tony Hannan, Greg Windust and Mack Kavanagh

(AUS)

Overall after 6 races (1 discard)

1st ‘Yandoo’, 16.7 points

2nd ‘Omega Smeg’, 21.7 points

3rd ‘US Challenge’, 27.7 points

4th ‘RMW Marine’, 32.4 points

5th ‘White Stuff’, 57.4 points

6. ‘Sunday Telegraph’, 58.7 points

Photo – Peter Danby