| Queen of the Harbour. |
| By Frank Quealey, the Australian 18 Footers League. |
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Photos by the Australian
18 Footers League
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| Sunday, March 20, 2011. |
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Samantha Milner became the Australian 18 Footers League’s Queen of the Harbour when her 18ft Skiff Smeg took line honours in the race, which was sailed over the Easterly course on Sydney Harbour today.
Samantha, along with skipper Nick Press, Dan Phillips and John Valtwies had some sensational rides in the 25-knot winds that swept across the harbor course, before taking line honours by 1 minute and 2 seconds from Matthew Searle and Queen Susie McKenzie on Red Claw Wines. |
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Samantha Milner, Queen of the Harbour.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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Michael Coxon and Queen Emma Links on Thurlow Fisher Lawyers were a further 3 minutes and 34 seconds back in third place. With each boat’s crew consisting of one female as their Queen for the coveted title, the conditions were even more demanding than usual.
For the girls, it was a day to remember as they were in skiffs racing at near top speed. Unfortunately for some it wasn’t so lucky as Nicky Waller, wife of crewman Drewe Waller on Rag & Famish Hotel, was taken to hospital after the mast broke and the crew were thrown into the water. |
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Rag & Famish Hotel's broken mast.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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Others weren’t so unlucky, but still didn’t manage to complete the course when their skiffs were forced out of the race with broken gear. John Winning with Yandoo retired after finishing due to a pre start collision with Simon Nearn’s De’Longhi, which was forced out with a broken spinnaker pole.
From shortly after the start, Micah Lane’s Rag & Famish Hotel, Smeg and Red Claw Wines were vying for the lead. Red Claw Wines grabbed the lead at the 3-buoys windward marks from Smeg and the pair then settled down for a close contest over the next two legs of the course.
After Red Claw Wines capsized off Point Piper on the second windward leg, Smeg was never likely to be beaten and went on to score a convincing victory. Today’s race sponsored by Red Claw Wines. |
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Queen Samantha's winning smile on Smeg.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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Next Sunday’s race is the final race of the Australian 18 Footers League season. It will also be your last chance to ‘Pick the Podium’, which you can do by going to www.18footers.com.au and registering is free.
More information, photographs and videos can be found at www.flying18s.com and www.18footers.com.au.
Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League www.flying18s.com. |
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| Outimage and the
Australian 18 Footers League © 2011 |
