Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Tom Clout became the 2010 Giltinan champions when they brought Gotta Love It 7 home a 44s winner of Race 7 in front of a large spectator fleet on Sydney Harbour.
The trio, who also won the Australian Championship on Sydney Harbour in January, had to come from behind in the regatta pointscore and that final race 7 before taking the title.
The winning crew (left-to-right): Sam Newton, Seve Jarvin, Tom Clout
Gotta Love It 7 went into the final race on 15 points, behind Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon, Aaron Links, Trent Barnabas) on 13 and Project Racing (Andy Budgen, James Barker, Matt Mc Govern) on 14 points.
Early in the race, Project Racing was clearly superior and led the fleet around the windward mark at the Beashel Buoy. Gotta Love It 7 was within striking distance but Thurlow Fisher Lawyers was well off the pace in the moderate North East wind conditions.
Gotta Love It 7 had good boat speed downwind and was putting pressure on Project Racing, but the '7' crew were left with a clear lead when James Barker's trapeze wire broke on Project Racing and the crew had to capsize the boat to retrieve the wire.
From that point the overall result was never in doubt as the Gotta Love It 7 crew gave a faultless exhibition to hold off the challengers - mainly Rag & Famish Hotel (John Harris, Scott Babbage, Peter Harris) and Appliancesonline.com.au (John Winning Jr., Dave Ewings, Tim Austin).
Rag & Famish could well be described as the unluckiest boat in the regatta. She was the only two race winner in a regatta which produced two shock race winners - Club Marine (Marcus Ashley-Jones, Stewart Wells, Bert Schandevyl) won Race 1 and Fisher & Paykel (Trevor Barnabas, Brent Dennis, Gerard Smith) took out the re-sail of Race 3.
Final Top 10 Pointscores:
1 Gotta Love It 7 ... Seve Jarvin, Aust ... 16
2 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers ... Michael Coxon, Aust ... 20
3 Project Racing ... Andy Budgen, UK ... 21
4 Rag & Famish Hotel ... John Harris, Aust ... 23
5 Yandoo ... John Winning, Aust ... 42
6 Smeg ... Nick Press, Aust ... 44
7 Team PSP/Aust-Asia/Benny ... Rob Greenhalgh, UK ... 48
8 Slam ... Grant Rollerson, Aust ... 50
9 Appliancesonline.com.au ... John Winning Jr., Aust ... 53
10 Fisher & Paykel ... Trevor Barnabas, Aust ... 66
CHAMPION COMEBACK
Five times Giltinan champion Trevor Barnabas is second only to the great Iain Murray in Giltinan Championship titles - having won in 1987, 1988, 1997 (Southern Hemisphere), 1997 (Northern Hemisphere) and 1998.
Trevor's first two victories were with Chesty Bond. He then retired from the 18s to teach and sail with his young son Trent.
His next three Giltinan Championship victories (for Omega Smeg-2UE sponsorship) were with Trent - twice in 1997 and his last victory in 1998.
Trevor retired again (although he is regularly sought by skippers in the Australian 18 Footers League fleet) a few years ago while Trent has gone on to become one of the finest for'ard hands in the class. He was part of last year's successful Giltinan Championship Southern Cross Constructions team.
Trevor Barnabas skippers Fisher & Paykel to victory in the Re-sail of Race 3
Only two weeks prior to the 2010 Giltinan Championship, Trevor was going to be a spectator until Fisher & Paykel's regular skipper Andrew Cuddihy asked him to steer the boat when unexpected work commitments changed his plans.
Trevor joined Gerard Smith and Brent Dennis the next week and the trio have now put together three top 10 placings for an overall 8th placing after five races in the regatta.
The highlight is obviously their thrilling last minute victory in the Re-sail of Race 3 when they came from behind to defeat the three heavyweights, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, Project Racing and Gotta Love It 7.
It must have been an even more satisfying day for Trevor as he won the 'family feud' over son Trent - for'ard hand on the second placed Thurlow Fisher Lawyers.
IT'S 'THE RAG' AGAIN
The 2001 Giltinan champion John Harris and his crew Scott Babbage and Peter Harris have had an unsettled season due to some gear breakages just prior to the Australian Championship at the beginning of the year.
To add to their woes, the team failed (narrowly) to finish in Race 1 of the Giltinan Championship when the wind died completely and several of the boats failed to complete the course within the required time limit.
'The Rag' on her way to winning Race 5 of the Giltinan Championship
Just when things looked as though their bad luck was taking control, The Rag & Famish Hotel began her move with a solid third placing in Race 2 of the Giltinan.
Nice but her performances over the past two days of the regatta have been brilliant as the crew have scored successive wins over the red hot fleet.
Race 4 was a come from behind victory by 19s over the series leader Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon, Aaron Links, Trent Barnabas) and Race 5 an outstanding victory of 3m4s over Australian Champion Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton, Tom Clout).
Rag & Famish Hotel is now in fifth place on 37 points but this figure belies her best score of five points which leads the fleet if discards were counted.
The regatta is certainly shaping as a nail-biter if you look at the leading pointscores (allowing for a discard at this stage).
Rag & Famish Hotel is on 5 points, followed by Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on 6, Project Racing (Andy Budgen, James Barker, Matt Mc Govern) on 7 and Gotta Love It 7 on 9.
Hang onto your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride to the finish.
GOTTA LOVE IT 7 v. MANLY FERRY
The Australian champion team of Gotta Love It 7, Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Tom Clout were leading Race 4 of the Giltinan Championship when they forgot to check the Manly Ferry timetable for the run from Circular Quay to Many.
Just as Gotta Love It 7 sped across Sydney Harbour under her big white spinnaker with the red '7', the Many Ferry was off Bradleys Head on her way to Many.
When the '7' crew were unable to cross the bow of the ferry there was always going to be just one result. The following six images show the only possible result.
Photographs by Frank Quealey
PROJECT ONE IS #1
The Project One Racing Team represents the United Kingdom when it competes in the Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship each year.
In their situation the word 'united' is appropriate as the team is led by Scotland's Andy Budgen and crewed by James Barker (England) and Matt Mc Govern (Ireland).
Project Racing on her way to winning Race 2 of the Giltinan Championship
Just think about it. A Scotsman, an Englishman and an Irishman all in a small boat together. Sounds more like the beginning of an old joke rather than a brilliant team of sailors who totally dominated the world's best 18ft Skiff sailors to win Race 2 of the Giltinan Championship by more than two minutes.
The preparation that has gone into this campaign is reflected in the result. Andy Budgen had the skiff built by Van Munster Boats for the 2009-2010 Australian summer season and has been sailing with James Barker and a number of local sailors in the lead up to this regatta.
Matt had been sailing in various events around the world and had only just returned to Ireland when he received a 'request' from Andy to come over and rejoin the crew.
As Matt said: "How could I refuse when the weather in Ireland was cold and I had the opportunity to join up again with Andy and James."
Andy has now spent two full seasons in Australia racing against the strongest 18 Footer fleet in the world - mirroring other sports where individuals go abroad to improve their competitive skills against the best.
If the team's performance on Sunday is any indication of their competitiveness in this championship then they are in it up to their eyes.
HORROR DAY ON SYDNEY HARBOUR
Extreme heat and totally unpredictable wind (often no wind at all) made the racing very difficult for competitors in the Giltinan Championship Invitation Race.
Former Giltinan champion Rob Greenhalgh and his crew Dan Johnson and Phil Harmer were the masters of these conditions and brought their skiff Benny/PSP Aust-Asia home a clear winner.
The crew of Benny/PSP Aust-Asia on the way to victory.
It was a double for the UK teams as Andy Budgen, James Barker and Matt Mc Govern finished second in Project Racing, while the best of the locals was Yandoo, skippered by John Winning, with crew Andrew Hay and David Gibson.
The prospect of strong winds coming from the south as heavy clouds banked around the course sent many boat heading back to shore to avoid possible gear damage so close to the start of the championship proper.
Western Australian entrant SLAM looking shaky during the Invitation Race
Anders Lewander, skipper of Team Gill Sweden, is one of the world's most experienced sailors, having competed as skipper of Ericsson 3 in the Volvo Round-the-World Race and numerous international championship regattas over several years.
It's no wonder then that the likeable Swede looks relaxed and having fun prior to the Invitation Race of the Giltinan Championship.
Anders Lewander clowns it up before the Giltinan Invitation Race
Despite the extreme heat on the day, Anders and his crew still had time to have some fun after fixing their sponsor's logos to the sails and hull. They even had time to pose for the cameras with Lucinda Bell, who will be doing some promotional work for the Australian 18 Footers League throughout the regatta.
If you think that "flying18s.com" is going to continue to find reasons for publishing photos of Lucinda and the promotional girls - correct.
Anders and the crew are doing 5 minute video clips each day. If you want to have a look at these videos, go to:
Three of the world's best 18ft Skiff skippers have been putting in the hours in the blazing Sydney heat as they prepare for the Giltinan Championship.
Past champions Howie Hamlin (2002, 2003) of the US and Rob Greenhalgh (2004) of the UK, as well as New Zealand's Chris Skinner have been working each day in Double Bay park rigging area then going for a practice sail as they tune up to take on the strong local contingent and Volvo Round-the-World skipper Anders Lewander, of Sweden.
left-to-right: Rob Greenhalgh, Howie Hamlin, Chris Skinner with Dave Healy
The trio have each won major international events during 2009. Skinner won the ANZAC Regatta in Auckland, New Zealand last Easter, Greenhalgh the Mark Foy Trophy at Carnac, France and Hamlin the International Regatta at San Francisco, USA.
The three skiffs in the Double Bay Park rigging area
"FAMILY FEUDS"
It's not unusual that brothers Mark and Scott Kennedy will be competing against each other in the Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship this year. What is unusual is that the Kennedy boys will be representing two different countries. Mark will be representing Australia and Scott will represent New Zealand.
Mark won the 2000 world 29er Championship and has moved to Australia. He now sails with the Australian 18 Footers League fleet as skipprer of Coldwell Banker New Homes.
Scott Has remained in New Zealand and is the current Auckland 18 Footer champion - the title he won late last year as skipper of Yamaha.
While winning the overall Giltinan Championship is the main goal for both skippers, there is no doubt that for each one beating his brother will be a very close second option.
As well as the Kennedy brothers competing against each other, there are three fathers who will be competing against their sons.
John Winning (Yandoo) and John Winning Jr. (Appliancesonline.com.au), Trevor Barnabas (Fisher & Paykel) and Trent Barnabas (Thurlow Fisher Lawyers), and Graham Catley (Maersk Line) and Nick Catley (Yamaha) will also go head-to-head.
With so much competition between these families, one team which has two brothers competing together is the highly fancied Rag & Famish Hotel, which is skippered by 2001 Giltinan champion John Harris and has Peter Harris in the bow.
The 31-boat fleet has an Invitation Race on Friday with the first race of the seven race regatta to be sailed on Saturday.
18s LEGEND RETURNS FOR GILTINAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Five times Giltinan champion Trevor Barnabas will make an unexpected attempt to add to his tally following a last minute call up to skipper Fisher & Paykel in the 2010 Giltinan Championship.
When one of his regular crewmen was unable to compete due to business commitments, the boat's regular skipper Andrew Cuddihy arranged for a replacement to sail the regatta.
Fisher & Paykel in action during the 2009-2010 Season
The chosen replacement then withdrew at the last minute leaving Cuddihy in an impossible position trying to find another top class crewman.
Trevor was in the Double Bay park supporting his son Trent, who sails with Michael Coxon on Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, so Andrew took the unusual step of becomming a crewman himself and getting Barnabas to be the new skipper.
Barnabas first won the Giltinan Championship at Perth in 1987. During that regatta his Chesty Bond skiff carried a mast which stood 45ft (13.7m) above the waterline - believed to be the tallest mast ever carried on an 18 Footer.
above: Two of Trevor Barnabas' Giltinan Championship winning skiffs, Chesty Bond 1987 and Omega Smeg-2UE 1998
Trevor went on to further Giltinan Championship wins in 1988 (Chesty Bond), 1997 (Omega Smeg-2UE) in Australia, 1997 (Smeg) in the Northern Hemisphere, then finally with Omega Smeg-2UE in 1998.
'THE CHAMPIONSHIP' PREVIEW
18ft Skiff Racing's greatest challenge begins on Sydney Harbour on 12th February when 31 of the world's best crews line up to contest the 61st J.J. Giltinan Trophy Championship.
With six past champions and a host of world and international championship-winning challengers all vying for the title in similar boats, the racing on Sydney Harbour will be a 'WAR ON WATER' during the seven-race regatta.
Leadimg contenders at the Australian Championship: Michael Coxon, Seve Jarvin, Nick Press
Previous champions in the fleet are: Michael Coxon, Australia (2006, 2007), Rob Greenhalgh, UK (2004), Howie Hamlin, USA (2002, 2003), John Harris, Australia (2001), Seve Jarvin, Australia (2008) and John Winning, Australia (2000).
The recently crowned NSW and former Giltinan champion Michael Coxon is likely to be the early favourite to win back the crown he previously held in 2006 and 2007. He is joined by last year's winning Giltinan champion crewmen Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas in the Thurlow Fisher Lawyers-sponsored skiff he campaigned in 2008.
Despite their likely favourite status, Coxon and his crew will be under enormous pressure from the star-studded fleet of champions. Each of the other five past Giltinan winners will be serious challengers for the title.
Fleet racing at the 2009 Giltinan Championship Regatta
The quality of the fleet is highlighted by the records of eight skippers who have each won world championships in other sailing classes. Rob Greenhalgh (International 14), Howie Hamlin (5o5), John Harris (International Moths), Mark Kennedy (29ers), Archie Massey (International 14), Evan Walker (Open Multihull/Youth), Jason Waterhouse (Hobie 16/Youth) and John Winning Jr. (29ers).
There are six previous (and current) Interdominion 12ft Skiff champions: Phil Airey, Andrew Cuddihy, Nick Press (current), Chris Skinner, Alex Vallings and John Winning.
Adding to the high level of talent is Sweden's Anders Lewander (skipper of Ericsson 3 in the Volvo Round-the-World race), who returns to the flying 18s after previous campaigns in the 1990s.
Spectator ferries will follow all races, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf (alongside the Australian 18 Footers League clubhouse) 30 minutes before the start of each race.
